Pulling No Punches Here

One of these days, Don Cherry is going to pronounce a name correctly or get in a complete thought. And then watch out.

For now, consider "Hockey Night in Canada" host Ron MacLean as a linesman. MacLean can be quick to step in and save Cherry from getting in way over his head. But when the subject is Europeans, MacLean tends to give Cherry plenty of room to swing.

Cherry was trying to explain what goes through a player's mind after it has been rebooted a few times by a fist. Here's the Colton Orr/Matt Carkner fight that Cherry was referencing to start "Coach's Corner."



I must break in here to say that MAYBE Carkner is trying to save face by saying he wants to go to the box rather than the locker room. Or maybe he is alerting a trainer that he sees one of his lost marbles near the red line.

And Cherry, who noted his desire to save face after taking a beatdown, seems to have lost the name of Nicklas Lidstrom. OK, so Cherry knows the name of the Norris Trophy winner that he is putting down as he sings the praises of Dion Phaneuf.

Silly, really. Lidstrom's actions on the ice speak loudly, drowning Cherry's PR show for Phaneuf.



The American version of Cherry, Mike Milbury, later opines on the Ilya Kovalchuk trade, putting Atlanta GM Don Waddell on the stake and tossing the first match.

And you have to admit, if anyone knows anything about terrible, weak, stupid, insane deals, then Mike Milbury can move to the front of the line anytime. So, I have to say that Milbury has a point when it comes to not learning his lesson after having to getting very little for Marian Hossa, whom he was forced to send to Pittsburgh.

Now, what about that Roberto Luongo deal that you pulled back with the Isles, Mike? Roberto, who?