Grapes defends Burke, lays into Hockey Canada selection process on Coach’s Corner

Don Cherry was on Coach’s Corner Saturday night and had a lot to say (as usual), with plenty of headlines the last few days in the NHL and junior hockey, and the Leafs playing their first game after the Winter Classic. Here’s how it went down: WHAT CHERRY WORE Nice tan coloured suit, but with a Boston Bruins themed tie — “Tasmanian Devils there, Terry O’Reilly …” Cherry quipped. KEY POINTS You knew Cherry was going to weigh in on the Team Canada loss at the world juniors, and on the Brian BurkeBobby Ryan story — and he did.

Cherry revisited a previous show when he scolded Hockey Canada for snubbing Connor Brown, then the OHL’s leading scorer and a Leafs prospect, and Max Domi, an OHL superstar with the London Knights. He then suggested the roster is picked due to political correctness, rather than finding the best 22 players in the country, and “that’s why we lose … it’s an absolute joke, Hockey Canada … smarten up.” On Burke, Cherry defended the former Leafs GM by saying he was “ratted on” by reporters who had access to the Team USA during the selection process. For the record, former Toronto journalist Scott Burnside and USA Today’s Kevin Allen were the two reporters with the all-access — and they’re two of the very best in the business; Cherry way off in calling them “rats” Next it’s onto a scene from 24/7 showing Detroit coach Mike Babcock’s speech in the Wings room, and goalie Jimmy Howard pumping up for the game; Cherry notes that all kids should be as excited and prepared as Howard … then a clip of a Brian McGrattan fight against Tom Sestito, and it’s a doozy fight, which is a Cherry staple … they end it with a clip on the shinny game at the Winter Classic between players from the Canadian and American militaries at Comerica Park. BEST QUOTE “Don’t forget, these are the guys that were over there, wounded (Canadian armed forces), we must never forget them now … Those guys are the best.” WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA SAYS Fans like Cherry’s mention of the military, and that’s a constant with Cherry: he supports the troops. GRADE: BMark

Zwolinski