Don Cherry, seen here at the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011, has criticized the Carolina Hurricanes over their victory celebrations.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
Don Cherry’s Saturday night rant about the Carolina Hurricanes and their victory celebrations didn’t go unnoticed by the NHL club.
The Hurricanes even decided to embrace his words.
Cherry blasted the Hurricanes on Saturday during his weekly television segment on Hockey Night in Canada for the team going beyond the traditional raised-stick salute to their fans after home wins, saying that: “These guys, to me, are jerks.”
Shortly after the segment, Carolina’s Twitter account tweeted: “Wait, was he talking about us?,” and changed its Twitter bio to read: “That bunch of jerks with the fun celebrations.”
Then the club followed up on Sunday by announcing that it is now selling “Bunch of Jerks” T-shirts available on their online shop.
The jerk store called...we are now taking orders!
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) February 17, 2019
👕 » https://t.co/FWVvmuiYym pic.twitter.com/kDoJdRPvxM
“We’re a bunch of jerks and we have the shirts to prove it,” they added.
Starting with a thunderous clap at centre ice – what’s come to be known as the “Storm Surge” – the Hurricanes players have celebrated victories at PNC Arena in various, evolving ways since the beginning of the season.
Players have jumped into the boards, paddled imaginary kayaks, played games of Duck Duck Goose, simulated a walk-off home run and recently ran a limbo line.
Several Hurricanes celebrate at centre ice after a win over the Edmonton Oilers,Karl B DeBlaker/The Associated Press
Cherry made it clear on Saturday that he isn’t a fan of any of it.
“This is a joke.” Cherry said. “Young men expressing themselves for joy and winning. You don’t do this in professional hockey. What are these guys, jerks or something?
“That is absolutely ridiculous, they’re jerks doing it … .
“You never do anything like that, they’re still not drawing [fans] and they’re a bunch of jerks as far as I’m concerned.”