Today, former NHL head coach and commentator Don Cherry responded to claims about his exit from Hockey Night in Canada made by his former co-host Ron MacLean. Earlier this week, Ron MacLean spoke publicly about Don Cherry's exit from Hockey Night in Canada. When discussing Cherry's exit <a href='https://www.thewhig.com/news/ron-maclean-calls-poppygate-don-cherrys-exit-strategy-from-coachs-corner-after-health-scare' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>MacLean claims that Cherry was looking for a way out of the public spotlight</a> and away from the Coach's Corner segment after a health scare and was happy to be leaving. I think that pneumonia scare was it, MacLean says. The pneumonia said to Don, 'It's time.' He had to think, 'Why is this grind suddenly so hard?' He was ready to have an exit strategy. From that moment on, he was plotting a way out. The first opportunity (to end Coach's Corner) was going to be a happy one for Don. And I thought he did it well. This claim from MacLean is the first time that fans are hearing of these health issues involving Cherry that led to his exit. After leaving Hockey Night in Canada, Cherry continued to be in the public eye until he recently announced his permanent retirement from the Grapvine Podcast which he and his son had been hosting. Today, Cherry spoke about MacLean's comments I'm very disappointed in Ron that he would bring this up and I'm very disappointed that he would reach back five years and do this. This seemingly does confirm that while MacLean's comments should not have been public they are likely true. Cherry then is asked by his son if MacLean is still welcomed in the Cherry household as a guest and friend to which Don had a heartbreaking response. No, not according to the wife he isn't. I don't have any feelings towards Ron. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/joe_warmington/status/1944140415038607622'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> These comments from Cherry convey a profound sadness and loss of a friend in many ways over the years due to the events of the last 5 years between Cherry and MacLean. Even with the complicated history between MacLean and Cherry this seems to be a clear breach of trust and privacy making Cherry's health problems public. Now, all eyes will be on Ron MacLean to see if he responds to Cherry's frustrated public message.