The Cam Neely and the Bad Boys of Boston
The flamboyant coach who led the Big Bad Bruins to four division titles and two Cup finals.
Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. He played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins. After concluding a playing career in the American Hockey League, he coached the Bruins for five seasons leading the team to four division titles and two appearances in the Stanley Cup Final.
- Era Name
- Bad Boys of Boston
- Key Captain
- Ray Bourque
- Star Forward
- Cam Neely
- Team Identity
- Physical Aggression and High Scoring
- Status
- Historical Era
- Notable Incident
- Neely's Career-Altering Eye Injury
Lore & Background
Cherry played one NHL game with the Boston Bruins in 1955, but it was during the 1954–55 regular season, not the playoffs. He later coached the Bruins from 1974–75 through 1978–79, winning the Jack Adams Award for the 1975–76 season. Under Cherry, the Bruins captured the Adams division title four straight seasons (1975–76 through 1978–79) and made the Stanley Cup finals in 1977 and 1978, losing both times to the Montreal Canadiens. He was fired by the Bruins after the 1979 playoffs.
In Their Own Story
The lights hummed overhead at the Boston Garden, casting long shadows across the ice. Cam Neely skated low to the boards, stickhandling through a crowd of opposing defenders. The roar of the crowd was deafening as he took a slap shot from the circle, the puck screaming past the goalie. He didn't celebrate; he just turned and skated back, ready for the next shift.
Reader's Guide
Cherry's coaching style emphasized physical play, and he remade the Bruins into a 'lunch-pail gang' after the departure of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. He coached the team to an NHL record of 11 players with 20 or more goals in the 1977–78 season. His tenure ended after a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty in Game 7 of the 1979 semifinals led to a loss to the Canadiens.
Did You Know?
- Cherry played only one NHL game, called up by the Boston Bruins during the 1954–55 regular season.
- He won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year for the 1975–76 season.
- Cherry's Bruins lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final in both 1977 and 1978.
- He was fired by the Bruins after the 1978–79 season following a controversial too-many-men penalty.
More in Club History & Eras
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