Cherry has hosted "Coach's Corner" as part of the weekly "HNIC" broadcasts for decadesGETTY IMAGES
Sportsnet President Bart Yabsley confirmed that Don Cherry will return to the net for the '19-20 NHL season after Cherry this summer addressed "speculation Sportsnet was not planning to bring him back." Yabsley said that he spoke with Cherry "personally over the summer." Yabsley: "Don's a year-to-year thing. Most likely, Don's going to tell us when he's not coming back. But every year, it's a discussion." He added there "really was never any question" whether the 85-year-old analyst would come back (THEATHLETIC.com, 10/1).
JOVO-COP RETURNS: Former NHLers Ed Jovanovski and Jeff Chychrun will join FS Florida this season for Panthers coverage as the RSN's "new on-air analysts." Jovanovski and Chychrun will "appear on broadcasts throughout the season as the team's analysts before and after games, as well as during intermissions." The Panthers' broadcast team will also "include longtime TV play-by-play announcer Steve Goldstein" (South Florida SUN SENTINEL, 10/2).
LEFT OUT IN THE COLD: In Denver, Conor McCue wrote most Avalanche fans as of now "won't be able to watch" their team on TV, as Altitude Sports & Entertainment is "currently in a weeks-long dispute" with Comcast, DirecTV and Dish Network about carrying the channel. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Exec VP & COO Matt Hutchings yesterday said that Altitude's "initial offer to the providers was similar to past agreements." Comcast and DirecTV are "owned by AT&T and have their own" RSNs. AT&T said it made "a fair offer to keep the channel available, but Altitude rejected it" (DENVER.CBSLOCAL.com, 10/1).
