Ron MacLean on hot seat at Sportsnet following Don Cherry’s comments

Earlier this week, Don Cherry expressed his disappointment in his former friend Ron MacLean. All the way back in 2019 Cherry was unceremoniously fired from Hockey Night in Canada where he hosted Coach’s Corner, one of the most iconic segments in Canadian hockey, for decades after a rant about the wearing of poppies, or lack thereof, around Canada on Remembrance Day.

While Cherry’s rant that day was a memorable one to be sure, one of the biggest takeaways that many observers of the incident had at the time was the conduct of MacLean, who threw Cherry under the bus just days later when he publicly spoke out against his long time friend. We all know how the story ended then with Cherry’s exit from Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada. MacLean, whose public image has taken a battering in the wake of the controversial moment, claimed during the interview that this was all part of some grand exit strategy orchestrated by Cherry himself.

However, Cherry has had enough and reached his breaking point earlier this week when he commented:

“I am very disappointed in Ron, that he would bring this up,” said Cherry of MacLean’s recent comments. “I am very disappointed that he would reach back five years and do this.”

As for any talk of an exit strategy, according to Cherry that was a complete and total fabrication on the part of Ron MacLean.

“No, I wasn’t looking for a way out. I was surprised,” Cherry said. “I never even thought of that.”

While Cherry didn’t hurl any insults at his former friend, it was clear that this latest stunt from MacLean has perhaps put an end to their decades long friendship. When asked how he felt about his former co-host, Cherry’s words were damning.

“I don’t have any feelings toward Ron,” said Cherry.

A video of Cherry’s conversation with Toronto Sun journalist Joe Warmington reveals that MacLean is no longer welcome in the Cherry household, with the edict coming not from Cherry himself but rather from his wife Luba Cherry.

Several fans, along with hockey great Bobby Orr, have supported Cherry following his comments on MacLean and now the host of Hockey Night in Canada has landed once again in hot water as many fans are demanding for him to get fired and now be the face of panel for the 2025-26 NHL season. They want justice for Grapes. Here’s one example of many, many posts on X (trying to avoid the ones using profanities):

Fans are adamant that Cherry should be given a second chance, and some even demand that he be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Others, sentimentals like me, wonder if it will ever be possible for Don and Ron to make amends and be friends again down the road. After all, life is too short.