Don Cherry backs Evander Kane on Twitter

Evander Kane faced criticism from the social media world this week when he posted a photo of himself clutching wads of cash in Las Vegas.

But Don Cherry suggested Saturday that the Twitterverse cut the Winnipeg Jets forward some slack.

The Hockey Night in Canada commentator said on Twitter, "People are upset that he's fooling around showing all that money in a time when... The players are supposed to be hurting. I say give the kid a break.”

Kane posted the photo to his Twitter account (@EKane9JETS) early Wednesday. The photo captured him holding bricks of dollar bills to his ear, pretending to call boxer Floyd Mayweather. Kane explained he merely meant to get a few laughs out of Mayweather.

“I just reached out to Floyd as a joke on Twitter,” he told the Winnipeg Free Press on Wednesday. “It really wasn’t meant for anybody else except Floyd but it just kinda blew up and took off.

"I guess some people have more of a sense of humour than others."

Some regarded the photo as disrespectful to fans and others economically affected by the NHL lockout.

“Would be a good idea to delete the tweet with you and the cash. Some folks can’t pay their bills because you guys aren’t playing,” former Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ kicker Troy Westwood said on Twitter.

Another tweet read, "@EKane9JETS You really gotta tweet a pic like that when you are complaining about money?! #fansdeservebetter #YOUSUCK #YOUAREAHACK”

Cherry expressed that some Twitter users shouldn’t read too much into Kane’s actions.

“He was just letting on what Floyd Mayweather did at a press conference.. Where Floyd help (sic) up a lot of money to his ear and let on he was talking to it.

“Example of how dangerous the internet can be.”