Don Cherry, the iconic and outspoken former coach of the Boston Bruins, had a special place in his heart for Stan Jonathan. In his typically colorful way, Cherry once compared Jonathan to his pet bull terrier, Blue. “Stanley reminded me of my dog, Blue,” Cherry said. “They were both relatively small but enormously tough.” It was more than just a comparison of size and grit—it was a testament to Jonathan’s tenacity, loyalty, and refusal to back down in the face of bigger, stronger opponents.
Despite standing just 5-foot-8, Jonathan was a force on the ice. He fought like a heavyweight, skated like he had something to prove every shift, and never backed down—earning the deep respect of his teammates, his coach, and even his rivals. Cherry went on to say, “Of all my discoveries, Jonathan is the one in which I take the most pride.” Coming from a man who coached some of the game’s greats, that was no small compliment. It speaks not just to Jonathan’s skill and courage, but to the heart he brought to the Bruins during one of the most hard-nosed eras of hockey.
To Cherry, Jonathan wasn’t just a good player—he was the embodiment of Bruins hockey: tough, fearless, and proud.
