Cooke gets 7 games but Player Safety is STILL doing it wrong!
Suspensions SHOULD NOT be tied to injury, but rather the legality of the hit.
For this specific suspension both factors tied into the length. Until the league realizes this problem and corrects it, the players still won't know when they've crossed the line unless they are way over it.

As for the length of the suspension, I think it should be 20 games or rest of playoffs, whichever is greater.
- scifiman

Irrelevant. Matt Cooke is proven cock chugger. He's so unbelievably ridiculous, you couldn't paint a town his color, let alone a bedroom. This is the type of player that should NEVER be aloud to lace up a pair skates again. Ever.

what a joke -

can't say the NHL usually gets these things right anyway, but this is one of the worst calls they've made, given his history

Too much. Barrie needs to take some blame here, take the hit like a man instead of dodging and opening yourself up to injury.
- closter12

Exactly. Cooke led with the shoulder and when Barrie ducked out of the way, the only part of his body left in Cooke's path was his leg. Cooke isn't blameless, but isn't entirely at fault.

Also, he is NOT considered a repeat offender by the league since he hasn't been suspended in over 18 months. So, 7 playoff games for a "first offender" who is not entirely at fault is actually quite harsh.

Exactly. Cooke led with the shoulder and when Barrie ducked out of the way, the only part of his body left in Cooke's path was his leg. Cooke isn't blameless, but isn't entirely at fault.

Also, he is NOT considered a repeat offender by the league since he hasn't been suspended in over 18 months. So, 7 playoff games for a "first offender" who is not entirely at fault is actually quite harsh.
- ElbowingPenalty

Wrong, HE IS a repeat offender! See the clarification from Kerry Fraser himself:

"You ask if Matt Cooke can or will be treated as a repeat offender. While Cooke deserves much credit for effecting positive change in his method of play over the past three seasons prior to this incident, the fact remains that a player's past history will follow him throughout the balance of his NHL playing career.

My colleague and friend Bob McKenzie shared the following information with me that should address your questions. A player's record is expunged if he goes 18 months without an infraction but that only applies to the formula for calculating lost wages. If a player has a fine or suspension in last 18 months, he's a repeat offender and the lost wages formula is based on number of games suspended (5/82 for a five game suspension) as opposed to number of days (5/182 for a five game suspension in a 182-day regular season).

But a player's "history" stays with him as a permanent record and the NHL can take into account any or all past transgressions when determining length of a suspension.

History doesn't allow the NHL to suspend a player who, if not for his history, wouldn't be suspended. But once an illegal play has taken place, the NHL can use Matt Cooke's history as part of his sentencing even if his transgressions were years ago.

In the playoffs there are no lost wages; therefore the actual repeat offender status doesn't come into play for a player suspended in the playoffs unless the suspension carries over to the regular season.

By virtue of the in-person hearing being extended, it would appear that Matt Cooke's history coupled with the seriousness of this incident could be taken into account for the purpose of suspension. At the very least, the Player Safety Committee is not taking the option to impose a five-plus game suspension off the table."

As a Wild fan I really have no problem with Cooke being suspended, whether it's 7 games or longer. But it enrages me when Bickell can get away with a knee on knee and not even spend 2 in the box....and to the hawks fan who says it was not that blatant, I must respectfully disagree.

Worst part of the whole thing is that this tired incident has completely overshadowed the purdy goal by Granny and the lights out performance by Varly on Monday.

Eklund: Matt Cooke gets 7 Games
- Eklund

Well deserved, he should have gotten 40.

Wrong, HE IS a repeat offender! See the clarification from Kerry Fraser himself:

"You ask if Matt Cooke can or will be treated as a repeat offender. While Cooke deserves much credit for effecting positive change in his method of play over the past three seasons prior to this incident, the fact remains that a player's past history will follow him throughout the balance of his NHL playing career.

My colleague and friend Bob McKenzie shared the following information with me that should address your questions. A player's record is expunged if he goes 18 months without an infraction but that only applies to the formula for calculating lost wages. If a player has a fine or suspension in last 18 months, he's a repeat offender and the lost wages formula is based on number of games suspended (5/82 for a five game suspension) as opposed to number of days (5/182 for a five game suspension in a 182-day regular season).

But a player's "history" stays with him as a permanent record and the NHL can take into account any or all past transgressions when determining length of a suspension.

History doesn't allow the NHL to suspend a player who, if not for his history, wouldn't be suspended. But once an illegal play has taken place, the NHL can use Matt Cooke's history as part of his sentencing even if his transgressions were years ago.

In the playoffs there are no lost wages; therefore the actual repeat offender status doesn't come into play for a player suspended in the playoffs unless the suspension carries over to the regular season.

By virtue of the in-person hearing being extended, it would appear that Matt Cooke's history coupled with the seriousness of this incident could be taken into account for the purpose of suspension. At the very least, the Player Safety Committee is not taking the option to impose a five-plus game suspension off the table."
- Raven33

Thanks for the clarification - I hadn't read the Kerry Fraser explanation. Based on that info, I'd say 7 games is bang on.