Don Cherry on Gary Bettman: 'I have never seen him so livid'

Don Cherry has weighed in on a tumultuous day in the NHL labour process that saw three press conferences, one rejected proposal and countless angry fans.

The Hockey Night in Canada commentator took to Twitter on Thursday night after the NHL's commissioner revealed the league and players' association are still far apart.

"I have known Gary Bettman since he was named commissioner. I have never seen him so livid as he was tonight at the press conference," Cherry said on his verified account.

"He was almost shaking. That was no act. There were owners who I'll call doves who were against the hawks. The hawks said ok we'll do it your way and the doves put an extra 100 million on the table and when the association said ok but the doves turned into hawks themselves," he said. "I believe the hardliners said to the doves ok we did it your way and the association thinks we are weak. Now we'll do it our way…"

"Looks like I will see a lot more of Marlies, Junior and Minor Midget games this year."

On Friday morning, Cherry floated the idea of the players taking a secret vote on how to proceed.

"If you take a show of hands you're not going to say nay if the guy in front says yay. Guys don't want to look like a chicken and caving into the NHL," Cherry tweeted. "If the vote says we carrry on with the fight we carry on the war. If the vote says let's accept the offer, accept it."

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