Joe Starkey on Matt Cooke's disciplinary turnaround

Matt Cooke used to play every second of every shift on the edge, straddling the line between ferocity and insanity.

Now?

"Now I stay away from the line," he says. "Wherever the line is, I kind of stay 100 meters away."

It's mostly what we already know and have talked about, though now published in a major Pittsburgh newspaper and with quotes from the reformed himself.

Is the 'Cooke for Byng!' train gaining momentum? Probably not.

Also, I don't know whether or not Ray Shero's sincere about not knowing Cook's season PIM total... I certainly hope not, as it's been a pretty eye-popping number for anyone who even gives statistics a cursory glance.

"Fourteen?" Shero said. "Holy (cow)."

Holy cow, indeed.

4 months ago Stephen Catanese 1 comment 0 recs |

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I, like others, have been pleased to see Cooke find a way to play an effective game that doesn’t carry with it the same problems we have seen in the past. And I think we’ve also seen the team rally around him a bit, seeming to step in so that Cooke can avoid a fight, at times.

Still, he has a long way to go in his efforts to repair his reputation with fans, refs and other players. All it will take is one miss-step or bad hit by Cooke, and all his hard work will be wiped out. He’s made a good start, but he needs to get through this season without incident. And then he probably needs to get through next season without incident.

I know he can do it, and I hope he will do it.

Jagr? I don't even know 'er.

by PopRocks on Jan 19, 2012 3:31 PM EST reply actions

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