Whatever it is, it's a sensitive topic. Maybe it wasn't burnt popcorn, but I could see a rookie dinner gone wrong. Perry decides to spice up the party. and does something he should not have and to let it out would cause more harm. IF this was another Kyle Beech incident, it would be out in the open.
To me, I don't think the offence was bad. I think this was an organizational flex to show "hey, we are doing right by our fans and we are nipping this in the bud before it gets any worse" Corey Perry exiting, to me, is what I would consider a pro-active move by the team and organization and sending a message..."The Hawks are taking employment seriously". Their name is being dragged through the mud (rightly so) because previously, they did NOT act.
To me, this was more of a "set the precedence" than the severity of what Corey Perry actually did.