Don Cherry says his 2019 exit from Hockey Night in Canada was not a planned “exit strategy” due to ill health, despite recent comments made by former long-time co-anchor Ron MacLean.
The now 91-year-old former co-host of Coach’s Corner said he was caught off guard by MacLean’s recent comments to the Kingston Whig Standard, which suggested that Cherry made a politically incorrect comment because he was battling pneumonia and no longer had the energy to do the show.
“I’m very disappointed in Ron that he would bring this up,” Cherry told the Toronto Sun in an interview, a portion of which was posted to social media. “I’m very disappointed that he would reach back five years and do this.”
MacLean was questioned during a recent interview by Kingston sportswriter Gare Joyce about Cherry and his son Tim possibly ending their podcast Grapevine for good after he signed off last month saying it was the “last show.”
That topic led MacLean to say that it wouldn’t be the first time there was uncertainty about whether Cherry would return on-air.
MacLean spoke about Cherry’s illness during the 2019 Stanley Cup final between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins, saying his then 85-year-old co-star was struggling to catch his breath on their flight to Boston for Game 7. He alleged that Cherry was taken to a sauna as soon as the plane landed in an attempt to “clear out his lungs.”
Although Cherry did do the broadcast, MacLean said his co-star’s battle with pneumonia ultimately landed him in a Boston hospital afterward.
Cherry told Warmington that there was no hospital visit in Boston and noted that no one called him to verify his former co-host’s claims. He said he went to his hotel room to rest but visited a hospital after returning to Canada, where he spent one night undergoing assessment and treatment for pneumonia.
MacLean also alleged that Cherry’s pneumonia “scare” prompted him to orchestrate his comments during a November broadcast ahead of Remembrance Day when he commented on immigrants in Canada not donning poppies to pay tribute to the nation’s fallen soldiers.
“You people come here, whatever it is, you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey. At least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy,” Cherry said at the time.
Rogers Sportsnet terminated his contract two days later due to public backlash.
MacLean told the reporter that Cherry decided to share his point of view on-air because he knew what the network’s response would be.
He noted that “Don needed out and the time was right,” adding that Cherry’s combative nature allowed him to take “his last swing.” MacLean also alleged that Cherry was “happy” with the outcome, and said he was also happy that his long-time co-star got what he wanted.
Cherry refuted MacLean’s comments that he had been planning a way out.
“He can say what he wants, but it never happened,” he told the Toronto Sun, adding that he has not spoken to MacLean since the story came out, nor does he plan to.
Cherry also put another rumour to rest. He will return to his Grapevine podcast after a summer break. Although some listeners initially took his June farewell as a permanent one, Cherry has since said it was simply a seasonal sign-off.
