Making The Case For Don Cherry In The Hockey Hall Of Fame.

On February 5th 2026, Don Cherry turned 92 years old and with the legendary broadcaster so long in the tooth, I think it's far past time to ask the question: Does Don Cherry Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Before I tell you what I think I'm gonna lay out the reasons why some believe Cherry should be inducted and what appears to be the single reason some believe he shouldn't be inducted and hopefully you can reach your own conclusion before you hear mine.

The Beginning.

While Cherry is best known as a television personality, and we'll get to that believe me, his ties to the sport go far beyond just being a voice for hockey. Cherry, a native of Kingston, Ontario, unsurprisingly played his junior hockey as a member of the Ontario Hockey Association, spending a brief stint as a member of the Windsor Spitfires before playing in multiple seasons with the Barrie Flyers. Cherry's playing career would then make the jump to the American Hockey League where he spent almost all of his time as a pro.

Cherry appeared in a total of 767 regular season games as a member of the Hershey Bears, Springfield Indians and Rochester Americans, putting up 67 goals and 192 assists for 259 points over his AHL career. Cherry's fiery temper also translated to the ice, with the former defenseman collecting 1,066 career penalty minutes. Most notably however Cherry was a four time Calder Cup Champion, winning once with the Indians in 1960 and capturing 3 more championships with the Americans between 1965 and 1968. Cherry would also win the Lester Patrick Cup in the Western Hockey League in 1969 as a member of the championship winning Vancouver Canucks.

Cherry did play in the National Hockey League as well, during the Original Six era, a single playoff game as a member of his beloved Boston Bruins.

4 AHL Championships and 1 WHL Championship is impressive but by no means a guaranteed path to the Hall of Fame, but the argument for Cherry to be inducted isn't as a player anyways but rather as a builder for his contributions to the sport of hockey.

The Legend Is Born.

Cherry began coaching the Rochester Americans in the very same season that served as his final as a professional hockey player, leading that team behind the bench for 3 consecutive seasons. It was following that time with the Americans that Cherry would make the jump to the National Hockey League where he famously spent 6 seasons as head coach of the Boston Bruins and established himself as a prominent hockey personality. Although Cherry would never win the Stanley Cup, he did achieve great success by making 2 Conference Finals and 2 Stanley Cup Finals over those 6 seasons in Boston.

By far though Cherry's greatest contributions to the sport, as well as the controversy surrounding his potential induction, would come during a broadcasting career that spanned over 3 decades. Cherry served as the most prominent voice on Hockey Night in Canada for multiple generations of young Canadians and introduced countless fans to the sport through his ultra-popular Rock'Em Sock'Em video series.

Cherry's first on air appearance would come in the Spring of 1980 alongside what would become his broadcast partner in Dave Hodge. Cherry would be hired full time for the 1981-82 season and it wasn't long after that Coach's Corner was born, becoming inarguably the most beloved intermission segment in the sport's history to this day.

Hodge would be replaced in 1986 by Ron MacLean with MacLean and Cherry forming a duo that would remain on air until 2019.

During his many years on-air Cherry was a fierce and unapologetic advocate for his home country of Canada and his love of his country was reciprocated by its citizens. In the 2004 CBC production The Greatest Canadian, Cherry finished 7th after Canadians submitted thousands of nominations and voted on the winners. That placed Cherry well ahead of anyone else tied to the sport of hockey, even finishing two spots ahead of the legendary Wayne Gretzky.

Cherry would also be honored with a spot on the Canada Walk of Fame in 2016.

His love for Canada took no clearer shape than his outspoken advocacy for the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, men and women that Cherry routinely honored during his segments.

The Controversy.

Unfortunately it would be that same love of country that would eventually cost Cherry his career. During a now infamous segment on November 9th of 2019, Cherry would rant about the lack of support he was seeing for those same men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, imploring Canadians to buy a poppy.

Cherry's use of "you people" was characterized as bigoted or derogatory but long-time listeners argued that was simply the way Cherry talked, more on that a little later.

In a horrible twist of irony Just two days later, on November 11th, Cherry would be fired for the comments he made during that pre-recorded segment, and in spite of the fact that MacLean nodded along with every word and ended the segment by saying that "and we love you for it" he would return to the airwaves just a few days later to announce Coach's Corner and Don Cherry would be no more.

The Fallout.

Despite effectively being pushed out of the sport that he has dedicated most of his life to by the decision makers at Hockey Night In Canada, Cherry has continued to do what he does best and that's talk about hockey. Cherry continues to share his unfiltered opinions on the game with his fans through the Don Cherry's Grapevine podcast which he co-hosts with his son, Tim Cherry. Despite the devastating professional and personal setback his love of hockey has never wavered.

Cherry didn't just advocate for his country though he was also a fierce advocate for both the sport of hockey and its players. Cherry infamously slammed former NHL player Matt Cooke for a hit that effectively ended the career of beloved Bruins forward Marc Savard, brutally chastising Cooke live on air.

During that rant Cherry would reveal that Cooke had previously called out Cherry and dared him to speak that way to his face, with Cherry happily obliging and making Cooke look like a little boy being scolded when they came face to face in the bowels of the arena.

Cherry was also a strong advocate against one-touch icing, arguing that it needlessly put NHL players at risk. Years later the NHL would adopt the hybrid icing rules for the very reasons Cherry had been outspoken about.

You can hear Cherry discuss this topic in this segment from 2000, a full 19 years before he was fired, and listen to how he describes the "people" opposed to his viewpoints.

The Hall of Fame.

Last but not least Cherry was a fierce advocate for certain deserving individuals to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, most notably arguing for both Canadian hockey legend Paul Henderson and NHL great Eric Lindros. Henderson would receive his induction in 2013 while Lindros was inducted 3 years later in 2016.

Now there are those who are currently advocating for Cherry to be inducted including the likes of NHL Legend Bobby Orr. Orr wrote of Cherry in his Autobiography:

"His stature within the hockey community is significant and meaningful, and his importance is as great as that of any player, past or present."

“Given his long-standing and continuing contributions to the game, both home and abroad, he is more than worthy of nomination into the Hockey Hall of Fame"

“And I can tell you, I will most definitely be in the audience that evening when this oversight is corrected."

”I really, truly believe what he contributes to our game is enormous. He is really deserving to be in the Hall of Fame"

-Bobby Orr

There's one more name I left off that Hall of Fame list Cherry pushed for. In 2010 Don Cherry and Scott Morrison of Hockey Night in Canada led a movement that implored the Hockey Hall of Fame to induct Pat Burns prior to his untimely passing that same year, but Burns would only be inducted 4 years later. Don Cherry is 92 years old, please don't make the same mistake again.