Matt Cooke is becoming one of the most well known players in the NHL. If you follow sports at all, you’ve heard his name probably just as much as you’ve heard Alex Ovechkin’s or Sidney Crosby’s. NHL fans, myself included, love the rare occasion when hockey actually makes it into the sports center cycle. But recently, if I see an NHL headline coming up on ESPN, I pray it’s not about Matt Cooke.

Cooke has gained the reputation among fans across the league as one of the dirtiest players in the league. Hits from Cooke aren’t just collateral damage from him finishing his checks, he goes after knees and heads and he has racked up more victims than I can count. Most players in the league won’t speak out against another player’s actions if their team is not involved but the number of players and even coaches who have had their say about Cooke is staggering. Check out an article and video from NESN here.

Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Cooke

I’m writing this as I wait to hear the outcome over Cooke’s hearing in Toronto and John Buccigross of ESPN just reported that source’s say the Cooke will get “at least” ten games which is the rest of the regular season. I completely agree that he should miss the remainder of the season since this is not his first time at the rodeo. However, the NHL has been slow to make their announcement, which has led many to conclude that there is a debate to possibly include playoff games in the suspension. I would support the NHL adding the first round of playoffs to Cooke’s suspension because after the overwhelming amount of bad press the league has gotten this year alone from head shots and subsequent head injuries, the NHL has to make a statement. The NHL has to come out strong against hits like Cooke’s or the bad press will continue.

As the official word was released that Cooke would be out for the remainder of the regular season plus the first round of playoffs, the fan response was pretty much unanimous. I’ve never heard the phrase, “it’s about time” so many times in my life. Fans, yes, even Penguins fans, are happy for two reasons. First, that the NHL has finally and honestly disciplined one of the leagues most infamous hard-hitters and second, because this means the league is taking these hits seriously. Player safety is a huge concern for fans and with headshots and head injuries in the spotlight, everyone wants to make sure they’re favorite player and their favorite team isn’t affected by such unfortunate injuries.

Penguins GM Ray Shero commented on the suspension, a comment I whole-heartedly agree with. You can see the article here.

So I’ve put in my two cents (so has every other hockey fan) so what do you think? Was the suspension fair? Too steep? Not enough?

Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Cooke

Whether Pens fans like it or not, the answer is YES. As a Penguins fan, it absolutely sucks to have him suspended for four games because of his hit from behind on Fedor Tyutin of the Columbus Blue Jackets, since we are already riddled with injuries. As a hockey fan, its not even close to being enough. Matt Cooke is without a doubt a dirty player and Tyutin is lucky that he could skate off on his own after the hit against the boards in Tuesday’s game. Penguins fans cannot deny it, even if it helps their team win games. It’s not good for the Penguins franchise, it’s not good for the NHL and it’s sure as hell not good for the players. He is a good model for young players…of how not to play. He probably has the same effect on young players as violent video games have on kids. Cooke needs to calm down his game and actually move opponents off the puck instead of just launching himself into them like a kamikaze bomber.

Fans from around the league have cried out against Cooke many times, most notably, Boston Bruins fans when Cooke took Marc Savard out of the playoffs last year and kept him off the ice this fall. Fans have said that a player is going to get seriously hurt if Cooke isn’t disciplined, but Bruins fans will be the first to tell you, rightfully so, that someone already has. Cooke’s hits dont only endanger opponents’ bodies, they endaner their minds too. Head injuries and concussions are not something you mess with, just ask our captain, Sidney Crosby. So why did Cooke not receive a suspension for his crippling hit on Savard?

Ask the NHL. They have been inconsistent and honestly, a joke, when it comes to disciplining players for dirty hits. Daniel Paille, of the Boston Bruins, also got a four game suspension recently for his hit on Dallas Stars’ Raymond Sawada.

The aftermath of Matt Cooke's hit on Boston Bruins' Marc Savard

Paille, who isn’t even a household name in Boston, and who has no history of dirty hits or questionable plays receives the same punishment as an infamous hard hitter? Way to go NHL. There is a pun somewhere in here about pie and cooking but honestly, there isn’t much humor in this situation.

Cooke’s suspension of only four games is especially outrageous because Cooke is a repeat offender. Saying Matt Cooke is simply an agressive player is a generous understatement. The Tyutin hit was not Cooke’s first time at the rodeo and for an eye-opening collection of Cooke’s greatest WORST hits, go here.

To add insult to injury, Cooke’s four game suspension will put the Penguins in an even tighter spot than they were in already. Because losing their captain and a couple of their offensive superstars isn’t enough to handle, Cooke’s absence will add unneeded pressure to the Pens’ bench. Flat out, Cooke’s decision was a selfish one.

As a fan of the sport of hockey, I am extremely disappointed in him. In a time when the NHL is starting to finally, successfully rebuild it’s image after lockout woes and low viewership, this is the last kind of publicity the sport needs.