Are we surprised that Minny forward Matt Cooke has again been suspended, but this time it’s for seven (7) games for kneeing Colorado Avalanche defenceman Tyson Barrie during Game 3.
Should the suspension not be served in this year’s playoffs, it will continue on next season, but regardless this is a career ending knee on knee hit by a constant offender, who has done this in the past.
Cooke has a total of 48 hours to appeal the decision (should he wish to do so) first to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman then if Bettman upholds six games or more, he then has seven days to file an appeal to a neutral arbitrator.
The incident occurred in the second period when Cooke and Barrie were involved in a knee-on-knee collision.
The suspension is the sixth of Cooke’s career. After the incident he was assessed a two-minute minor for kneeing.
Head Coach of the Av’s Patrick Roy mentioned after the Wild’s 1-0 (OT) win that Barrie has a medial collateral ligament injury in his left knee and will need four to six weeks to recover.
The offer of an in-person hearing gave the NHL the right to suspend Cooke for five games or more.
Barrie was one of Colorado’s best offensive blue-liners, with 13 goals and 25 assists in the regular season.
Suspension History:
Feb. 19, 2004: 2 games – Spearing on Matt Johnson, MIN
Jan. 20, 2009: 2 games – Illegal check to head (Scott Walker CAR)
Illegal check to head (Artem Anisimov, NYR)
Feb. 8, 2011: 4 games – Hit from behind (Fedor Tyutin CBJ)
March 20, 2011: 17 games (10 regular season and first round of playoffs) – Elbow to the head (Ryan McDonagh NYR)
April 23, 2014: 7 games – Kneeing (Tyson Barrie COL)
Clearly this suspension will not deter him from doing this again and the only way in which to stop this is to hammer him or any offender with a long suspension of six (6) months without pay.
Think that would work – PROBABLY NOT!!!
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