See also: NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell failing to suspend Philadelphia’s Mike Richards for a similar hit on Florida’s David Booth.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie writes, “No suspension for [Mike] Richards,[than there’s] No suspension for Cooke. … [NHL disciplinarian Campbell] said if this hit happens next season it is a suspension. And if it’s a repeat offender like Cooke, the suspension will be stiffer again.”
So until next year, let the high, dirty, late, cheap hits keep coming.
Let’s take a look at what writers, bloggers, players and fans are saying about this:
“The Penguins play in Boston on March 18th, and barring injury it’s likely Cooke will have to deal with thousands of jeering fans and a group of angry players. Of Cooke’s three fights this season, two are against New York Rangers, including one on the night that Cooke hit Artem Anisimov. It seems likely on 3/18 that Cooke will have to answer the bell again, and perhaps in whatever small form, it’ll be a chance for some small measure of vengeance.”
—Hooks Orpik, from pensburgh.com
“It amounts to another stellar job executed by Campbell
and his cronies in the NHL offices known for mystifying decisions and
short-sighted tendencies. One just has to hope Campbell lucks out and
avoids any more brain-damaged marquee players getting wheeled out of
their arenas on a stretcher.“
–CSNNE.com’s Joe Haggerty‘s initial reaction on Twitter
Following the Puck Daddy excerpt below, fans jumped on the cook Cooke bandwagon:
“We disagreed at the time of the hit, and disagree now. The hit came after Savard had fired the puck on net and there was intent to injure on the part of Cooke, who doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt as a repeat offender. Again: Richards hit Booth after Booth made a backhand pass while skating at Richards; Cooke hit Savard after Savard shot the puck. Cooke earned himself another suspension in our eyes, but obviously not those of the NHL. The situation will be rectified in 2010-11, but try to telling that to Marc Savard. No, seriously, try to: He’ll nod off in the middle of the word ‘rectified’ thanks to Cooke.”
–Yahoo.com’s Puck Daddy
“Penguins are in Boston next Thursday. I have to say with the NHL being this big
a joke, I hope there’s some vigilante justice to make up for the crooked IDIOTS
that refuse to discipline a Penguin. Hopefully someone ‘Bertuzzi’s’ Cooke and
then someone else takes out the pouty little golden boy while they’re at it. I
am so sick and tired of this crap. Colon (he acts like it, I’ll spell it like
it) Campbell and Gary Buttman are the worst two things that have EVER happened
to sports. F this new NHL and all the crooked BS that comes with it.”
–Nahlsy
“Even more painful for Bruins’ fans will be next Thursday’s game: the team I grew up watching would chase Crsby off the ice on a stretcher, and Cooke in a body-bag. But this team, which remarkably demonstrates even less balls than Colin Campbell, won’t do a [profane]ing thing. Disgraceful. The league is disgraceful, the defending Cup champs are disgraceful, and the Bruins are the most disgraceful of all. Bs exec Cam Neely once referred to Claude Lemieux as a “gutless puke.” Well, Cam, is there a better definition of that phrase than the group that takes the ice in black and gold this season? I really doubt it. By the way, Chiarelli: With Savard gone for the season, how does that trade deadline look? [profane]ing gutless geek.“
–G.W M
