The decision by the NHL not to suspend the Penguins' Matt Cooke for his hit on the Bruins' Marc Savard didn't set well with some in the league.
Tampa Bay Lightning stars Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis, in particular, went public and were outspoken in criticizing Cooke and his rough-and-tumble style of play.
But Cooke said today he didn't intend to hurt Savard and that he could only abide by the league's decision, however it came down.
"I had prepared for the league to make a decision," he said after the Pens' skate at the RBC Center. "Either way I was going to have to deal with it.
"They did their homework on these hits, obviously, with the timing and being on the GMs meetings. Right now my thoughts are just with Savard and I hope he has a speedy recovery."
Savard suffered a grade-two concussion after taking a hit to the head from Cooke in Sunday's game in Pittsburgh. Cooke slammed his shoulder and elbow into Savard in the open-ice collision.
"It wasn't my intention to go hit him and hurt him," Cooke said.
The injury came just a day before the league's general managers met in Boca Raton, Fla. On Wednesday, the GMs' voted unanimously to recommend a rule change that would penalize blindside hits "where the head is targeted."
Cooke applauded the GMs' proposal, saying, "I hope it brings clarification to what's allowed and what's not."
Cooke was suspended two games in January 2009 after hitting then-Canes forward Scott Walker in the head. During the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, he was criticized for his knee-on-knee on the Canes' Erik Cole.
Cooke was asked today if he felt like he would be a "marked man" given his reputation.
"I don't know if it's any different than it was before," he said.
Lecavalier said Cooke had no respect for other plays and indicated Cooke was intentioanlly trying to hurt Savard. St. Louis said the hit should have warrented a suspension.
"I'm confident this hit was scrutinized as much or more than any other hit this year, given the time and situation with the GMs being together," Pens coach Dan Bylsma said today.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Respect
Fri, 03/12/2010 - 14:55 — sittler27It all comes down to respect amongst the players. No player who respects his opponents tries to intentionally hurt another player who is in a prone position. Based on Cooke's angle he knew Savard couldn't see him coming and there was, in my mind, no question he knew what he was doing. That is the type of player he is.
This is similar to a helmet spear or knee shot in football; an intentional hard foul in basketball; a hard tackle in soccer; etc. Other sports have red cards, match penalties or some from of ejection when there is a course of action that can reasonably be assumed to be an intent to injure. It only makes sense the NHL take a similar course.
I played both hockey and football through college and then went on further. The players get what kind of player Matt is. To an extent it will get policed by the guys on the ice, but the current rules make it difficult to call him out. I also admire GMs like JR that look for character when they draft, sign or trade for certain players.
Cooke and Present Rules
Fri, 03/12/2010 - 07:26 — abramsdougI have zero respect for Cooke as a player. He has a long, disgusting history of trying to hurt other players with cheap, dirty hits to the head or to the knee. YouTube is a ready source for his disrespectful attitude toward other players. He is also a coward and runs from fights after making dangerous hits.
According to the present rules as condoned by the NHL, Cooke's hit on Savard was perfectly legal. Similarly, Cooke's knee to knee hit on Cole during the playoffs was totally legal. Accordingly, opposing teams players need to apply those same rules to Cooke and hammer him with shoulder to head hits and similar knee contact. Until now, Cooke has experienced no real consequences sufficient to alter his play. Perhaps having to sustain the same kind of dubious hits he delivers will provide an impetus to Cooke to change his rules of engagement. I applaud Bill Guerin for his comments about the need to end head hits, including Cooke's. I thought he showed far more leadership than Crosby on this issue.
Viewing the video...
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 15:47 — Caniac5Cooke takes his hand off his stick knowing he is going in for hit. His shoulder comes up just before the hit and then the contact is done. Savvard did not move backwards and was finished with the shot. He was in a vunerable position of the shot because no one shoots standing up. Cooke knew what he was doing!
Suspension was warranteed!!
it's always the same line
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 15:00 — louis12580These guys always have the same line about not intentionally trying to hurt someone. In some cases, that's true. In some cases, that's a load of manure. It's one thing to play a hard, physical game and it's another to be over the edge. Maxim Lapierre (who many think is a dirty player) got 4 games for hitting a player from behind. It was justified because he's had a history of such hits. Marc Savard was blindsided by Cooke. The Bruins are in a fight for a playoff spot and have now lost their best player for the rest of the season. That means if they don't make the playoffs it costs the franchise a lot of money. Cooke's actions cost the Penguins not one dollar. Cooke has a history of head hunting, just as Scott Walker. The sad part is if a player on another team does the same thing to on of the Penguins' stars or a star player from another league favorite, the book will be thrown at them. Players need to be held accountable for their actions, by the league, the NHLPA, and team executives and they're not. If coaches really want to send a message that his type of action won't be tolerated, then sit the player for an extended period of time. If he doesn't, then the g.m. or owner needs to step up. Until then, this garbage will continue to happen and won't end until someone is put in a wheelchair for their life.
Coaches
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 15:24 — GoShelfFor the most part I agree with you, but a coach can't take a roster player out of the lineup because the player is playing within the rules of the game, but playing in a very grey area and in an area most don't condone, I've watched the hit numerous times, he comes from the blindside but doesn't leave his feet and does not lead with the elbow. Because of the instigator rule, the league has taken situations like this out of the hands of the players, so now the league has to do something about it. Had this happen in the '80s we all know what would have happened to Mr. Cooke, I for one like that solution.
for now
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 16:49 — louis12580Points well taken. That's the way the rules for the game are now. If and when they change next season, a coach will have to think about playing certain players, not so much at the beginning of a season, but at the end. That's especially true if a team is fighting for a playoff spot and knowing that anyone who gets suspended from said team might cost that team a spot. There are pros and cons to the instigator rule. The pro is it can be a deterrent. The con is that sometimes the player skates off the ice and doesn't re-enter the game, especially if it is the last couple of minutes and the coach knows that. The one maddening thing about guys like Avery and Cooke is they turtle when confronted. And in Cooke's case, he wears a shield so he would automatically get an extra 2 if he starts a fight.
Big Surpise
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 14:51 — GoShelfWhat did we really expect him to say. What he's done over the course of his career speaks volumes about what kind of player he is. You always have to be aware of where he is on the ice, he's never had any regard for the players he plays against.