On Matt Cooke, the NHL and the nature of justice

by Bob Herpen
Phanatic Hockey Editor

Let me begin by clearing up a few things that have been floating around various web sites, blog entries and comment sections since last evening.

Matt Cooke is not: a loser, a scumbag, an idiot. He should not be kicked off the Penguins immediately and he should not be permanently banned from the National Hockey League. He is not a bully who seeks to use his size advantage against a defenseless player in order to settle some score nobody cared about in the first place. For that argument, see "Bertuzzi, Todd."

Matt Cooke did NOT end up costing his team the game on Sunday with his major and game misconduct for a blind-side elbow to the head of New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

You can pin that on Matt Niskanen, whose equally boneheaded double-minor for high-sticking really put the Pens behind the eight-ball with a two-man disadvantage minutes later. Ryan Callahan's game-winner came after Cooke's major expired.

Matt Cooke is, however, very aware of who he is and what he does. He is a cold, calculating assassin and a bald-faced liar intent on saying whatever it takes to ensure he keeps drawing a paycheck.

So when an hours-long meeting between Cooke and NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell finally ended Monday afternoon, the best possible verdict was reached: the 32-year-old will have to disappear for the remaining 10 games on Pittsburgh's regular-season slate plus any games in the first round of the playoffs.

That's anywhere between 14 and 17, the stiffest penalty the league has handed down since a 25-gamer to Chris Simon a little more than four years ago.

Even though the wording of his statement sounds a little like Seymour Skinner finally fed up with the antics of Bart Simpson, Campbell at least gets to the heart of the issue:

"Mr. Cooke, a repeat offender, directly and unnecessarily targeted the head of an opponent who was in an unsuspecting and vulnerable position. 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."

In one sense, it was easy for Campbell provide such a stiff penalty.

After all, Cooke is a four-time head-shot offender. His Spanish archer impression on an unsuspecting Marc Savard led to an actual rule change in the off-season. The recent meeting between GM's down in Florida saw contact with the head/concussion concerns come to the forefront.

It was a perfect storm and the league handled the maelstrom appropriately for once.

But in another sense, I can't help but feel that the NHL just happened to catch one of the usual suspects in a moment of complete stupidity.

What if Zdeno "clean player for 13 years" Chara had done the dirt to McDonagh, or Max Pacioretty? What if any member of the Philadelphia Flyers was the guilty party? Or Sidney Crosby? You can't tell me the hammer would come down on any of the above like it did on Cooke.

I'd really hate to think what could have happened if a) Cooke ended up boarding McDonagh like he did to Columbus' Fedor Tyutin six weeks ago, or b) if Cooke didn't end up doing EXACTLY what the league has been trying to eliminate.

This is still a huge hole in the zero-tolerance logic the NHL spouts about head hits, because there will always apparently be mitigating factors. But I guess all of us malcontents will have to be happy with this big first
step..for now.

As for the man himself, Public Enemy Number One (except in Pittsburgh where he can do no wrong although his own general manager made a big show of his displeasure) will have longer than usual to contemplate his future.

Not even one day passed since sentencing, and it seems like Cooke wants to play us all for suckers. To wit, his comments in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about his premeditated actions:

"I realize and understand, more so now than ever, that I need to change...That's what I wanted my message to be."

"I'm fortunate that Ryan McDonagh wasn't hurt...I don't want to hurt anybody. That's not my intention. I know that I can be better...I made a mistake, and I'm the one who's accountable for that. And I take full responsibility for it."

He may take full responsibility for his actions, but how well did that lesson take after his blind-side elbows to the heads of Scott Walker (2 games), Artem Anisimov (4 games) and Savard (zero games)? The bold-faced portion of the quote is mainly to illustrate how much of a fallacy Cooke's words are in light of his repeated actions.

If I had to suggest a theme for his public mea culpa, it would be "Don't Believe the Truth" from ex-biggest-band-in-the-world Oasis. What makes this time so special, and such a potential turning point in Cooke's growth as a player and person?

It is more likely that Cooke is flat-out lying, forced into a corner since his own organization didn't appear to back him up. Quoth Pens GM Ray Shero:

"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."

The hypocrisy in this sudden turn of events after owner Mario Lemieux decried headshots when one of his own was affected in a February 11 brawl at Long Island is another post entirely.

What I suspect Cooke is doing with his outburst of remorse, is laying the groundwork for a future with any other of the 29 teams next season.

Nobody is going to stick their neck out for a guy who blatantly says his mission on the ice is to directly cause harm to an opponent. Not even the NHL Players' Association -- whose silence on the issue yesterday spoke
volumes -- could defend that.

But if Cooke gets all the right words strung together for long enough during his exile, he can make a case that the NHLPA can back up should the Penguins cut him loose in the off-season, and should other clubs attempt to black-ball him.

That's what's so infuriating, if you project six months from now. Cooke will undoubtedly play again, with some general manager standing up and praising his grit, toughness and offensive ability where six months before that same GM shook his finger in disgust.

The likelihood that there will be another victim will only decrease with the passage of time, not because of a fear of reprisal.

It's what cold and calculating players do, when they find one thing that elevates them above all others.

Bertuzzi has clearly never been the same after March 8, 2004. It was one blip on an otherwise solid run, but it was one that nearly cost Steve Moore his life while destroying his career. You can chalk that up to passion within the moment.

However, Cooke's body count has been piled up with expert precision, the same play, the same way, over and over. The NHL may get praise this time around, but what about the next time? Will Campbell have the courage to do what has to be done, no matter how Cooke is involved.

We shouldn't have very long to find out.