Don Cherry, the longtime analyst on "Hockey Night in Canada," has been let go by Rogers Sportsnet after almost 40 years as the face of the NHL on television.
During Cherry's popular "Coach's Corner" segment on Saturday night, the former Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies coach shared some incendiary remarks about seeing people wear poppies to honor Canadian soldiers who have died.
Nov. 11 is Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations, including Canada, as it is Veteran's Day in America.
"You people ... you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple bucks for a poppy or something like that," Cherry said. "These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada, these guys paid the biggest price."
After being publicly reprimanded by the NHL and an apology from Sportsnet and longtime TV partner Ron MacLean, Cherry, 85, was fired on Monday.
"Following further discussions with Don Cherry after Saturday night's broadcast, it has been decided it is the right time for him to immediately step down," Sportsnet president Bart Yabsley said via a statement released on Twitter. "During the broadcast, he made divisive remarks that do not represent our values or what we stand for."
"Don is synonymous with hockey and has played an integral role in growing the game over the past 40 years. We would like to thank Don for his contributions to hockey and sports broadcasting in Canada."
Cherry had been a fixture on Saturday's night viewers in Canada and bordering states since 1981. His color wardrobe was never as loud as his comments on "old-time hockey," and he never shied away from his opinion on the way the game, or life, should be.
Sportsnet took over "Hockey Night in Canada" from CBC in 2014.
