When Don Cherry explained surprising reason behind his blunt criticism of Alex Ovechkin

In 2015, Don Cherry, the former coach turned analyst, surprised many with a change of tone in his comments about Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

During an interview with SovSport’s Pavel Lysenkov at the Stanley Cup Finals in June 2015, Cherry didn't hold back when discussing the Capitals' early playoff exit that year. Cherry said:

"Many people started believing in Washington again this year, but they lost to the Rangers. You cannot just blame Ovi. If everybody on that team played like him – the Capitals would have won the Cup many times by now. It would have been a dynasty!"

When the interviewer pointed out Cherry's history of criticizing Ovechkin, the outspoken commentator offered a surprising explanation. He said:

"I criticize him because I love him."

Cherry is known for his blunt, no-holds-barred commentary, and Ovechkin has often been on the receiving end of his criticism. From telling the Russian superstar to "have a little class" to warning that an opposing player was "gonna cut him in half," and mocking him, 'idiot jumping around,' Cherry has never been shy about voicing his opinions on Ovechkin.

As this interview showed, Cherry’s tough criticism wasn’t rooted in dislike. It actually came from a deep respect for Ovechkin’s skill and impact on the game. Cherry’s remarks about Ovechkin still resonate in 2025, much like they did a decade ago.

Alex Ovechkin once fired back at Don Cherry’s criticism with robot impression

In 2009, Don Cherry took a shot at Alex Ovechkin for his flashy goal celebrations, accusing him of "jumping around like an idiot." Cherry remarked, expressing his disapproval of Ovechkin’s style.

"I tried to tell him don't do it," Cherry said. "He runs, a guy, he does this stuff, I am predicting someone's going to get him and somebody's going to get him good."

Ovechkin’s response quickly became legendary. When asked about the criticism, he fired back with a playful jab, mocking Cherry’s traditionalist mindset by performing a deadpan robot impression.

"Old people, you know like," Ovechkin said. "They're like when people show some energy, some emotions ... So they're like robots. You can go like this. You have to skate like this ... No celebration when you score goal. Thank you, Don."

His tongue-in-cheek imitation quickly went viral at the time.

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Edited by Krutik Jain