Former Canadiens fan favorite Corey Perry steps away from the Kings for personal reasons

Corey Perry has had to step away from the Los Angeles Kings for a period of time. According to the information circulating today, the forward returned home to deal with the illness of a family member.

The Kings therefore removed him from the lineup while the situation is sorted out. This is the kind of news that brings everyone back down to earth.

Hockey can wait, even in the NHL, even in the middle of a season that's in full swing. And when it involves family, there's no debate.

In Montreal, his name still resonates, because he once wore the Montreal Canadiens jersey and truly left his mark here.

Perry also carries rare experience around the league, with a career of more than 1,000 games and over 400 goals.

When a player with that kind of résumé leaves the group, it's noticed immediately. For the Kings, the absence creates a hole, but the human element comes first.

The best thing to do is to give him space and respect the silence around the details. The locker room knows exactly what to do. The messages are often simple, but they matter, especially over the course of a long season.

That's when you truly see a team.

We don't know how long this will last, and that's okay. Perry will return when he can, and when his family is doing better.

In the meantime, we simply hope that everyone's health returns quickly.

Our thoughts are with Corey Perry and his family.

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