This is an accepted version of this page Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator.

From 1986 to 2019, Cherry co-hosted Coach's Corner—a segment aired during CBC's Saturday-night NHL broadcast Hockey Night in Canada, with Ron MacLean.

Cherry has expressed controversial political views for which he has faced criticism, including remarks he made regarding Canada's lack of support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and denying climate change.

In November 2019, Cherry was fired by Sportsnet from Hockey Night in Canada for making controversial comments about Canadian immigrants during his show.

[14] The Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, is located on Rose Cherry Place, a street named for his late wife.

[citation needed] After his three-year stint in Rochester, he was promoted to the NHL as head coach of the Boston Bruins for the 1974–75 season.

The Bruins were coming off a successful run of two Stanley Cups and three first-place finishes, but after Cherry's first season as coach the team would see the exit of superstars Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito.

Up by a goal with less than three minutes left in the seventh game, the Bruins were called for having too many men on the ice, which he blamed on himself, saying later "The guy couldn't have heard me yell.

[citation needed] In a late-season game in Chicago, the Blackhawks scored the game-winning goal while Mike McEwen, a favourite of the Rockies owners, was on the ice.

As owner and general manager, he gained notoriety by refusing to take part in the CHL import draft, and by only playing North American-born players.

[35] During Cherry's one season as head coach of the IceDogs, the team managed 11 victories (only a slight improvement) and failed to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

Cherry drew some criticism for his sudden decision to allow European-born players onto the IceDogs line-up during the one season he coached the team.

CBC hired him full-time in 1981 as a colour commentator, but he didn't last long in that role due to his tendency to openly cheer for one of the teams playing, especially the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs.

[37][38] For several years he also hosted his half-hour interview show, Don Cherry's Grapevine, which began on Hamilton's CHCH-TV in the 1980s before moving to TSN.

His loud, outspoken nature became notorious, and his shows are described as "game analysis, cultural commentary and playful parrying with host Ron MacLean.

In a subsequent analysis of 82 NHL games for 12 days, CBC Sports Online discovered that high-sticking infractions were committed far more often by players not wearing visors, at a rate of nearly 2 to 1.

[citation needed] For the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals, NBC decided to feature Cherry in its intermission coverage, a rare appearance on American television.

[citation needed] Known for his signature style[44][45][46] which included colourful jackets, shirts, and ties he wore during the "Coach's Corner" segment of Hockey Night in Canada.

[citation needed] On November 9, 2019, during Coach's Corner, Cherry complained that Canadian immigrants benefit from the sacrifices of veterans and do not wear remembrance poppies.

"[56] On November 10, MacLean appeared on air for the first time following the incident and opened Rogers Hometown Hockey's broadcast with an apology: "Don Cherry made remarks which were hurtful, discriminatory, which were flat out wrong.

[61][62] On November 16, 2019, MacLean addressed and reflected on the incident during Hockey Night in Canada, the first without Cherry, also announcing the end of Coach's Corner.

While not appearing scripted, Cherry lived in the neighbourhood and he is shown speaking with Mike Holmes about the construction business and the ongoing project at his brother-in-law's house.

Cherry started as a partner in the operation and has more recently licensed his name to the chain without holding a significant ownership stake in the company.

"Don Cherry's Sports Grill" has locations in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

[75] Cherry has strongly criticized the direction taken by the National Hockey League in recent years, reducing fighting in favour of speed and skill.

Canadian Hockey chairman Bob MacKinnon thanked Cherry stating "The growing popularity of the women's game in our country owes a great deal to Don and Rose Cherry... Don has been a strong supporter of the female game since the early 1980s and continues to speak out in favour of women's hockey.

"[84] On December 7, 2010, Cherry attended an inaugural meeting of Toronto City Council, where he placed the chain of office around incoming Mayor Rob Ford's neck.

He then went on to state that he had "been ripped to shreds by the left-wing pinko newspapers out there" and ended by saying "And that's why I say he's gonna be the greatest mayor this city has ever, ever seen, as far as I'm concerned!

"[87] Later that month, Cherry was a guest of Rob Ford on a trip to visit Canadian troops in Afghanistan conducted by the Government of Canada, where he attended and spoke at a Christmas dinner event.

"[91] Cherry has expressed similar views in the past such as during a 2008 Hockey Night in Canada broadcast when he called environmental activist David Suzuki a "left-wing kook.