Don Cherry doesn’t have a problem with the controversial fishing trip that some Toronto Maple Leafs recently enjoyed in Florida. Instead, he takes issue with the fact that photos from the excursion appeared on social media.
“These guys were stupid. They set themselves up,” Cherry said on Saturday’s Coach’s Corner. “I bet you when [head coach Mike] Babcock saw that picture he almost fainted.”
Mitchell Marner and Tyler Bozak were among the Leafs on the trip, as well as Morgan Rielly, Josh Leivo and Leo Komarov. After the fun in the sun was posted online by players on Tuesday, the team was shelled by the Florida Panthers in a 7-2 loss.
“The problem was the picture, not what they were doing,” Cherry said. He compared the situation to his time as head coach of the Boston Bruins.
“When the Boston Bruins used to go out to California, I’d give them the day off and didn’t want to know what they did. They loved the horses, they went to the beach and went fishing. But nobody knew. That’s the key right there. What the team does, stays with the team.”
‘He’s a player now’
Cherry heaped praise on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, who missed Friday’s game against New Jersey blocking a slapshot with his shoulder earlier in the week.
“Everybody used to hate this guy before,” Cherry said. “But the players know, he’s a player now. He’s a better player now than he was when he was winning all those [individual] trophies. I can’t say enough about him … he’s blocking shots and he’s a better hockey player.”
The 30-year-old Malkin has 33 goals and 72 points in 62 games this season. The Penguins have 12 remaining regular season games and if Malkin appears in eight more contests, he’ll reach 70 games — his highest total since 2011-12, when he played 75.
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