Don Cherry reveals who is to blame for Team Canada's disappointing tournament loss
Don Cherry always has a firey opinion, and he recently shared his thoughts on what was to blame for the demise of Canada in such an embarrassing fashion.
It still seems surreal that Canada has been eliminated from the World Juniors. Fans right across the country are in shock. For the first time in history, Canada won't move on past the quarterfinals in back-to-back tournaments.
Costly, self-inflicted mistakes throughout the event have players, head coach Dave Cameron, his staff, and Hockey Canada management under scrutiny.
It all came to a head when defenseman Andrew Gibson took a kneeing penalty with more than two minutes remaining in the quarterfinal against Czechia.
That put Adam Jecho in position to score on the power play with 40 seconds left and seal Canada's fate. Worse still, since then, Andrew Gibson has received online death threats, an alarming reaction.
It was in this backlash that former NHL coach and current hockey analyst Don Cherry came forward to defend the youngsters. He went to social media and said the following:
«Don't be too hard on the kids. They tried their best. They seemed tight all tournament. Hockey Canada has to get with it and hire full-time coaches for the World Jrs, Under 18, Under 17 and get some consistency.»
- Don Cherry
- Don Cherry
Don Cherry makes a lot of sense. His suggestion to provide more stability for Canada's junior program is worth considering. Still, when Coach Dave Cameron was asked if he had any regrets, his response was an unequivocal, "No."
Discipline was a recurring problem for Canada throughout the tournament, and it proved to be their downfall in the quarterfinals. Canada led the tournament in penalties taken, being short-handed an astonishing 27 times.
However, Cameron insisted that the World Juniors is too short of a tournament to bench players for undisciplined play. That decision probably cost Canada.
As Cherry said, it's time for some serious changes from Hockey Canada in the tournaments that lie ahead.
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