Don Cherry has decided to step away from coaching the annual CHL/NHL Prospects' game airing on Sportsnet in the new year. He tells the Toronto Sun's Joe Warmington he didn't want to controversy that surrounded his firing from Hockey Night in Canada to take the spotlight from the players involved.
“It was a tough call to make to (CHL President) David Branch to tell him I decided it would best if I stepped away,” Cherry said Tuesday. “But this game is about the kids. It's about the hockey prospects and their futures.”
“I think all of the stories leading up to it, on the day of and after, would be about me and Hockey Night in Canada and I don't want that,” said Cherry. “I want the media coverage to be on these players who have worked their butts off to be in such a prestigious game.”
The game, which airs January 16th, 2020, usually involves Team Cherry versus Team Orr, as in Bobby Orr. However, Orr has also decided to step away this year to support Cherry.
"Bobby is my friend and said he didn't want to be there if I wasn't going to be there,” said Cherry.
Cherry says Branch tried to talk him out of it, and Sportsnet told him repeatedly they had no issue with him coaching a team in the game, but Cherry felt his decision was the right one. That said, he insists he'll miss it a lot.
“You better believe it. I love it. I have seen so many of the greats over my time from Carey Price to Mitch Marner,” said Cherry. “It was an honour to be a part of it.”
The game features the top CHL prospects as they show off their chops for the upcoming NHL draft.
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