A Look at Cooke

I'm reminded of an episode of Home Improvement in which main character Tim Taylor, never one to have a full grasp of things, is sitting in his garage.  Within a conversation of a situation he does not fully understand with his mother, she make this comment.  "There is a sign above your head that says not getting it."  Matt Cooke doesn't get it, and there is nothing you can do about it.

NHL playoff hockey will consistently bring out the highest intensity from players.  Skilled players are moving targets.  Nobody and nothing is off limits.  We saw it recently with the illegal hit to the head of St. Louis captain David Backes by Chicago's Brent Seabrook, a guy who has been targeted in the playoffs in the past.  We heard it with the subsequent mocking of the clearly concussed Backes by Duncan Keith.  All three of those players are Olympians.  What also comes to the surface at this time is the dirtiness and cheapness of other less skilled players.

The Matt Cooke rap sheet is long and quite extensive.  His name is well known at the league office.  He became the face of change when his blindside hit of Boston forward Marc Savard practically ended his career.  No suspension was given and the rules on head shots changed.  It didn't mean Cooke would change.  He was suspended the following season for a hit from behind and shortly thereafter received his longest suspension for a blatant elbow to the head of Ranger Ryan McDonagh.  That got him 10 games plus missing the first round of the playoffs.  Cooke was determined to change his style.  He did.  The following season of 2011-12 he played in every regular season game only picking up 22 minor penalties.   

It's at this point I believe Cooke realized cheap shots could be delivered by and to the lower half of the body.  Last season Cooke managed to cut the achillies tendon of Ottawa's Erik Karlsson when Cooke inexplicably raised his skate to the back of Karlsson's leg as they went into the boards.  Cooke was not suspended, but the play was highly questioned.

Fast forward to last night.




Following head shots the knee on knee hit can be one of the most serious and long lasting hockey injuries.  Cooke knew what he was doing.  Oddly enough Cooke has a tendency with his cheap shots to target skilled or important players.  See above with Karlsson, Savard and McDonagh.  Barrie was the leading goal scorer and plus/minus getter for defenseman on Colorado in his first full NHL season.  Now he is done for at least a month.

My Verdict:  Cooke is the epitome of what the NHL wants to eliminate.  He is a repeat of a repeat of a repeat offender.  He has no business playing.  Quite honestly the guy is a moron.

I'm going to do something a little different.  Cooke should be suspended for the rest of the playoffs or 10 total games.  This way he is guaranteed to miss all of the playoffs even if Minnesota goes past the 10 game mark and if they do not the suspension carries into the following season.