It appears as though Don Cherry has another supporter in the form of Nazem Kadri. Kadri believes that Cherry's infamous comments on November 9th, during Coach's Corner, have been taken out of context.
"(Cherry) has been there for so long, it's going to be hard to see (Hockey Night in Canada) without him. That's definitely unfortunate," Kadri told the Denver Post's Kyle Fredrickson. "I know Grapes and I don't think it came across like everyone is making it sound. I think with what he said, it was maybe just said incorrectly. People maybe took it out of context a little bit. I know Grapes is a great person and am sad to see him go."
Kadri's support of Cherry may come as a bit of a surprise for some, given that Cherry's comments seemingly singled out immigrants. Kadri is of Lebanese descent, his father immigrating to Canada in the 1960's with his parents.
Kadri also took the time to elaborate on the NHL's comments about hockey being a game that brings people together, rather than dividing them.
"The sport brings everyone together with the team values and the work ethic," Kadri said. "It taught me a lot about those two things. Now, I go watch my little cousins play in their youth development programs and there are a variety of ethnicities on their team. When I was growing up, I was kind of the only one. It's good to see now."
There has been a lot of debate as to whether or not Cherry's comments warranted a termination, but Cherry's unwillingness to apologize for his actions has become his undoing.
