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She’s not only in the coach’s corner, but Hazel McCallion is ready to jump over the boards to fight for Don Cherry.

“I want Don back on Hockey Night in Canada,” the legendary 98-year-old former Mississauga mayor said Tuesday.

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A rally is planned for outside Sportsnet’s studios at 1 Mount Pleasant Rd. on Wednesday at 1 p.m.

And though McCallion said early Wednesday she can’t make the rally because of a board meeting, she supports it and is encouraging people to attend.

“I hope many people go,” she told Newstalk 1010’s John Moore. “Don Cherry deserves a chance to explain himself.”

She added “I am very upset about how Sportsnet has handled the situation with Don Cherry.”

About 200 are expected to demonstrate over the Remembrance Day firing of Cherry.

“I feel I have to say something because all of this has been blown way out of proportion over the interpretation of what he said,” said “Hurricane” Hazel, who has known Cherry since he moved to Mississauga in 1980.