Kukla's Korner Hockey
Matt Cooke Suspended Through First Round Of The NHL Playoffs
by Paul on 03/21/11 at 04:07 PM ET
Comments (48)
via Nick Kypreos tweet,
Cook suspended by #NHL rest of regular season and 1st round of Stanley Cup play-offs.
added 5:25pm,
TORONTO (March 21, 2011)—Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke has been suspended for the remainder of the regular season (10 games) and the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for delivering an elbow to the head of New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh in NHL game #1080 yesterday, the National Hockey League announced today. Cooke will forfeit $219,512.20 in salary.
“Mr. Cooke, a repeat offender, directly and unnecessarily targeted the head of an opponent who was in an unsuspecting and vulnerable position,” said NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. “This isn’t the first time this season that we have had to address dangerous behavior on the ice by Mr. Cooke, and his conduct requires an appropriately harsh response.”
Cooke’s most recent suspension was for four games on Feb. 9, 2011 and under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement forfeits his salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (186). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
The incident occurred at 4:36 of the third period and Cooke was assessed a major penalty for elbowing and a game misconduct.
Cooke will miss Pittsburgh’s remaining 10 regular-season games and be ineligible for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
added 5:50pm,
Following is a statement from Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Ray Shero after the National Hockey League ruled today that Penguins forward Matt Cooke will be suspended for the rest of the regular season (10 games) and the first round of the playoffs:
“The suspension is warranted because that’s exactly the kind of hit we’re trying to get out of the game. Head shots have no place in hockey. We’ve told Matt in no uncertain terms that this kind of action on the ice is unacceptable and cannot happen. Head shots must be dealt with severely, and the Pittsburgh Penguins support the NHL in sending this very strong message.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Matt+Cooke,
Comments
My nipples are hard.
Posted by SYF from the bottom of my, what, 11teenth pint of Guinness? on 03/21/11 at 05:16 PM ET
Good news.
Hopefully when he gets back, if that Pens make it past the first round, someone clobbers him.
Posted by PuckHound61 from Speckville USA on 03/21/11 at 05:17 PM ET
Looks like the Cookie Monster has to eat his vegetables!
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 03/21/11 at 05:21 PM ET
Ouch.
So that’s what it takes for Campbell to hand out a fitting suspension!
An habitual repeat offender/super long history, fan/media/team outrage, 2nd suspension in a season, making the offence not on the day of, but a week after league meetings to curb this type of conduct, and a guy that’s played around with one-too-many brains (in the NHL’s view).
A precedent has been set!
Posted by NathanBC on 03/21/11 at 05:24 PM ET
Definitely not long enough. As long as Cooke is playing in this league, his team mates will be targeted.
Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!
Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 03/21/11 at 05:25 PM ET
I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by the League.
Personally, I was hoping he was done for the year, playoffs included.
But this suspension sets a serious tone dealing with this sort of conduct.
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 03/21/11 at 05:32 PM ET
I know I am in the minority, but I think the rest of the regular season would have been plenty. Cooke is an absolute idiot, but when he is not acting like one, he is undoubtedly affective, and I think suspending him for only the remainder of the regular season punishes him substantially without having a huge effect on the team. By letting the suspension run into the playoffs, it hurts the team more, and while they do employ him, they do not cater to his acting like a moron. As a Pens fan, I am glad to see him punished and hope it finally gets through to him, but it is unfortunate to think that my team will be without one of its best penalty killers and agitators for the first round of the playoffs.
Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 03/21/11 at 05:35 PM ET
Pens will not survive the first round of the playoffs. Matt Cooke has played his last game in a Pittsburgh jersey. They will get rid of him after this year. They would rather pay him out than deal with him, He might want to see if Europe likes concussions.
Posted by Casey from Mississauga on 03/21/11 at 05:38 PM ET
As a non-Pens fan I’m pleasantly surprised about this. And Jeff, you should feel like its unfair and that the punishement transcends from just him to unfairly hurting his team’s chances of winning a cup. That’s exactly how all Pens should feel about it. That’s the point. Its a team sport and if someone is this irresponsible then they hurt their team, not just themselves.
Take it from a non-Pens fan, this suspension is the correct one and hopefully (although we know otherwise) sets precendent moving forward.
Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 03/21/11 at 05:43 PM ET
Not long enough, but better than expected.
Posted by Ian! from Somerville, MA on 03/21/11 at 05:43 PM ET
Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 03/21/11 at 05:35 PM ET
The NHL is at a point where the teams need to be held responsible for their employees actions, because of the actions of a guy like Matt Cooke.
Posted by Casey from Mississauga on 03/21/11 at 05:38 PM ET
Wow, wrong five times in four sentences. Impressive, until I saw that you misspelled your name too - that’s just astonishing.
Posted by NathanBC on 03/21/11 at 05:43 PM ET
Q: So, is mario happy or sad today?
A: Nobody knows, because he’s not talking. 
Posted by Down River Dan on 03/21/11 at 05:49 PM ET
Definitely long enough.
Lets Go Canucks!!!!!
Fixed that for you. 
Posted by PuckHound61 from Speckville USA on 03/21/11 at 05:58 PM ET
Good job Colie. You’ve set a precedent for repeated stupidity.
Now don’t screw it up like you did when you let Mike Richards and Matt Cooke skate after hammering Steve Downey for the same thing they did.
Posted by steviesteve on 03/21/11 at 05:58 PM ET
By letting the suspension run into the playoffs, it hurts the team more,
That’s the point. Cooke hasn’t responded to short suspensions, ejections, code justice (Shawn Thornton, Evander Kane) or Marc Savard’s tears. Maybe he’ll respond when his teammates feel he’s screwed them over personally.
Posted by steviesteve on 03/21/11 at 06:03 PM ET
“Q: So, is mario happy or sad today?
A: Nobody knows, because he’s not talking. “
Posted by Down River Dan on 03/21/11 at 05:49 PM ET
“added 5:50pm”
Would you like to revise that now?
Posted by NathanBC on 03/21/11 at 06:06 PM ET
Oh, and;
http://twitter.com/RealKyper/
I’m told #Pens Mario/Cooke had spoken at great length yesterday and was basically told to change the way he plays or leave.
about 6 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
Posted by NathanBC on 03/21/11 at 06:08 PM ET
Definitely not long enough.
Fixed that for myself. 
Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!
Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 03/21/11 at 06:09 PM ET
NHLJeff, it’s not just about punishing Cooke. It is about also punishing the team, the organization that hired this goon.
I’m also pleasantly surprised at this, but I would toss him for the rest of the year, playoffs and all.
LET’S GO RED WINGS !!!!!
Posted by MsRedWinger from Michigan, now in Flori-duh on 03/21/11 at 06:09 PM ET
Even blind squirrels find a nut. Good call by the league on this one, however, it only matters if they keep enforcing things like this in this manner. Otherwise, nothing has changed.
Posted by pens fan in baltimore on 03/21/11 at 06:10 PM ET
Would you like to revise that now?
The statement added at 5:50 was from Shero, not Mario.
But,i’m sure mario is fervishly typing an email to lil gary and air canada as we speak. So, it’s understandable that he hasn’t found time to speak to the media yet.
Posted by Down River Dan on 03/21/11 at 06:15 PM ET
Also, 140 chacters on twitter is not speaking to the media. that involves an assembled media corps, and a question/answer dialog. Compared to mario’s reaction after the islander/pens game, his silence yesterday and today is quite telling.
Posted by Down River Dan on 03/21/11 at 06:28 PM ET
“added 5:50pm”
Would you like to revise that now?
Posted by NathanBC on 03/21/11 at 06:06 PM ET
Are Shero and Lemieux the same person now?
Sorry, that’s not the point. I’m glad the league did this. I was starting to worry they’d let up on him too much.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 03/21/11 at 06:34 PM ET
“Head shots must be dealt with severely, and the Pittsburgh Penguins support the NHL in sending this very strong message.”
Jesus Christ.
I’m sorry, I’m out of the conversation.
Posted by NathanBC on 03/21/11 at 06:40 PM ET
Shero speaks for the Penguins, but he does not speak for Mario Lemieux.
Lemieux lost the ability to let his GM do all his talking for him when he released those letters. He let this cat out of the bag. Lemieux doesn’t owe anybody any personal statements, but we’d all be a lot less curious about hearing from him if he hadn’t gotten started with this in the first place.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 03/21/11 at 06:48 PM ET
Teams should be forced to play with an empty roster spot for the duration of a suspension.
Perhaps then it wouldn’t take 3 or 4 instances to piss of the management, or team mates.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 03/21/11 at 06:53 PM ET
I know I am in the minority, but I think the rest of the regular season would have been plenty. Cooke is an absolute idiot, but when he is not acting like one, he is undoubtedly affective, and I think suspending him for only the remainder of the regular season punishes him substantially without having a huge effect on the team. By letting the suspension run into the playoffs, it hurts the team more, and while they do employ him, they do not cater to his acting like a moron. As a Pens fan, I am glad to see him punished and hope it finally gets through to him, but it is unfortunate to think that my team will be without one of its best penalty killers and agitators for the first round of the playoffs.
Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 03/21/11 at 05:35 PM ET
No, the time lost by the victims of his hits is unfair.
I think the suspension sends a good message. A better message would be a 1-year ban from the NHL with reinstatement after that year based on his actions in the minors.
Posted by WingsFaninCO on 03/21/11 at 07:23 PM ET
I think the suspension sends a good message
The only way it sends a good message is what happens the next time something like this happens. Otherwise, it’s the same inconsistent bullshit that has always happened.
Posted by pens fan in baltimore on 03/21/11 at 07:38 PM ET
Hopefully when he gets back, if that Pens make it past the first round, someone clobbers him.
Posted by PuckHound61 from Speckville USA on 03/21/11 at 05:17 PM ET
I see you are familar with the workings of Abraham Lincoln…
Posted by Unicorn Force from DC (but like everyone here, I'm not a local) on 03/21/11 at 08:02 PM ET
Good Lord you guys blinded by your hatred Of Cooke to see More Incompetence by Rectum Campbell !! rest of season No Problem !! 1st Rd. of Playoffs Typical Dick Swinging by Rectum ! Showing Mario who is in charge
Posted by Evilpens on 03/21/11 at 08:04 PM ET
How could Pittsburgh has not stripped him of his Associate Captaincy, If they are so set on cleaning up the league, yet they let this person who is clearly part of the problem set an example for the rest of the team.
Posted by wingsnut25 from Cheboygan, MI on 03/21/11 at 08:23 PM ET
Mario’s silence is a loud statement.
I would think it’s a statement that he agrees with the punishment, like all the other suspensions the Pens have gotten in the past that he did not comment on.
Posted by pens fan in baltimore on 03/21/11 at 08:41 PM ET
Teams should be forced to play with an empty roster spot for the duration of a suspension.
Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 03/21/11 at 06:53 PM ET
This.
All this truly goes away if this happens.
It’s so simple it’ll never happen though.
Posted by Primis on 03/21/11 at 08:42 PM ET
I would think it’s a statement that he agrees with the punishment, like all the other suspensions the Pens have gotten in the past that he did not comment on.
Posted by pens fan in baltimore on 03/21/11 at 08:41 PM ET
Don’t you think that after his comments regarding teams and management needing to take ownership that now would be an excellent opportunity to lead by example? Do you really believe that his silence is an affirmative statement?
Posted by Unicorn Force from DC (but like everyone here, I'm not a local) on 03/21/11 at 10:42 PM ET
Posted by Evilpens on 03/21/11 at 08:04 PM ET
What the hell are you going on about?
Posted by Garth on 03/21/11 at 10:43 PM ET
Mario: I didn’t see the play, it happened so fast so I can’t comment on it.
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 03/21/11 at 11:05 PM ET
Posted by Evilpens on 03/21/11 at 08:04 PM ET
What the hell are you going on about?
Posted by Garth on 03/21/11 at 10:43 PM ET
Garth, it reminds me of Van Gogh’s yellow vision phase, no?
Posted by Unicorn Force from DC (but like everyone here, I'm not a local) on 03/21/11 at 11:06 PM ET
“A better message would be a 1-year ban from the NHL with reinstatement after that year based on his actions in the minors.”
While I agree with your desire to to penalize the teams a roster spot, why on earth is it okay for Cooke to be banished to the minors where he has the opportunity to beat up prospects? If he doesn’t change his ways then you are taking a chance of him injuring careers at an even earlier age. That is not a good idea in my opinion at all. If he were to be suspended for a year than I wouldn’t allow him to go play for any team even remotely related to an NHL team. I would think his options would be the KHL or uhm… Swedish Elite League I guess? I would try to get those leagues to honor the suspension as well if thats at all legal.
Posted by clownfat on 03/21/11 at 11:06 PM ET
The NHL actually got it right this time because not only did they nail him for the 10 regular season games they hit him where it really hurts - the playoffs. He obviously didn’t learn from the previous 4 suspensions so maybe now that something every NHLer cares about is taken away from him he may finally let it sink in (although I somehow doubt it). The NHL’s motivation in the whole affair is still suspect since it looks like they did it to save face and not because they actually care about player safety, but they finally did get it right.
As for the apologists that feel he is a good hockey player and that this move hurts the team, so what? Isn’t that the point of a suspension? Teams are supposed to be held accountable and in this case they finally are. He is a decent hockey player, but when did that give him the right to attempt to end someone’s career. Maybe his effectiveness is completely tied to the fact that he has no compunction about injuring other players. Maybe after the suspension we’ll see if he is a hockey player or a player that relies on the threat of injury.
It is the ridiculous notion that “affective” hockey players are somehow above severe punishment that allows guys like Pronger to targte heads, gets Heatley only two games, allows Ovechkin to be “reckless” and repeat offenders to be forever more emeboldened until someone is eventually killed. Punishing the Gillies, Godards, Simons, and McSorleys of the league means nothing, they are a dime a dozen and easily replaced.
Posted by hockey1919 from mid-atlantic on 03/22/11 at 09:40 AM ET
Lemieux doesn’t owe anybody any personal statements, but we’d all be a lot less curious about hearing from him if he hadn’t gotten started with this in the first place.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 03/21/11 at 06:48 PM ET
But if the shoe was swinging from the other foot, you guys would be blindly defending your hero/savior/legend the way we are/were.
I really think it’s asinine to assume if he speaks out once about the matter, he needs to say something every time one of these things happens.
Except when that guy in Long Island who only got 9 games came back on his 3rd shift and did the exact same thing he got suspended for (minus the punching while the injured player was facedown on the ice/taunting afterwards stuff) on his third shift back.
No one was calling for Mario’s opinion then. Why is that? Because he was right?
Mario’s silence is a loud statement.
Posted by redxblack from Akron Ohio on 03/21/11 at 08:38 PM ET
Someone on one of the other 15 Matt Cooke threads the past couple of days said because Mario didn’t comment on the situation, he was okay with Cooke’s reckless play.
Now, his silence means the exact opposite? That he disagrees with the suspension because he hasn’t released a statement?
Grasping wildly at straws, it seems. Or it’s just a case of potato, potahhhhhhto.
Posted by Flashtastick56 from Milford, CT on 03/22/11 at 10:02 AM ET
I really think it’s asinine to assume if he speaks out once about the matter, he needs to say something every time one of these things happens.
I’m not the one who said he needs to say anything. Quite the opposite, actually. I’m just saying that we’re all curious to see how he’s going to react.
Except when that guy in Long Island who only got 9 games came back on his 3rd shift and did the exact same thing he got suspended for (minus the punching while the injured player was facedown on the ice/taunting afterwards stuff) on his third shift back.
No one was calling for Mario’s opinion then. Why is that? Because he was right?
That’s probably because the 2nd Gillies suspension came after an Islanders/Wild game that had nothing but the most tentative attachment to the Penguins. I’d say the Cooke suspension is at least slightly different in terms of how much of an effect this one has on the team Mario owns.
But if the shoe was swinging from the other foot, you guys would be blindly defending your hero/savior/legend the way we are/were.
I don’t envy you Penguins fans being forced to blindly support anybody. If anything, perhaps this gives you all a little perspective on Ted Leonsis’ habit of continuously opening his mouth. Times like this I really appreciate having an owner who keeps his business behind the curtain. It’s as frustrating as hell sometimes never hearing anything, but watching the reactions and counter-reactions to Lemieux, it certainly helps me appreciate it.
Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 03/22/11 at 10:19 AM ET
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Oh snap! Pleasantly surprised.
Posted by Bosephus from Behind enemy lines, Denver, CO on 03/21/11 at 05:10 PM ET