I am curious of your thoughts on Roussel and Garbutt.

I watched the game last night and as much as they are agitators, they take liberties after the play or during the play that seemingly go unnoticed. I believe it was Garbutt who smacked Palmieri in the helmet with his stick as Palmieri was skating from behind the net and into the crease, with no call.

I know that referees cannot get everything and I hone in on what those two do, because that's what they want. However, I do not understand why Maroon got a 10 minute misconduct at the end of the game while Garbutt and Roussel do much worse throughout the game and seemingly get off scott free.

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.

I am asking specifically about Matt Cooke and any prior opinions that are on record re Cooke specifically. That's all. Don't have to hate on an honest question.
- Brad Ratgen

Several months ago, Paul basically predicted that Cooke was bound to revert to his old ways at some point:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=55891

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.
- ThisJustinD

What exactly do burn wards and cancer patients have to do with recidivists? The former group are victims, not perpetrators. BTW I have done decades of charity work in hospitals and with cancer patients, even apart from being a cancer survivor myself. What have YOU ever done, keyboard warrior?

At any rate, I am all for second chances and a clean slate. Sixth and seventh chances? Better keep your guard up around that person.

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.
- ThisJustinD

Not that I have to defend Stewie here but for someone who made an account today just to say that, what does that say to the type of person you are? I feel sorry that you made an account today to post some sad sob story about people overcoming a disease as opposed to a player overcoming his complete lack of respect for other players in the game, something that Stewie predicted in a blog he wrote a few months ago. Funny it happened...

What exactly do burn wards and cancer patients have to do with recidivists? The former group are victims, not perpetrators. BTW I have done decades of charity work in hospitals and with cancer patients, even apart from being a cancer survivor myself. What have YOU ever done, keyboard warrior?

At any rate, I am all for second chances and a clean slate. Sixth and seventh chances? Better keep your guard up around that person.
- Paul Stewart

What exactly do burn wards and cancer patients have to do with recidivists? The former group are victims, not perpetrators. BTW I have done decades of charity work in hospitals and with cancer patients, even apart from being a cancer survivor myself. What have YOU ever done, keyboard warrior?

At any rate, I am all for second chances and a clean slate. Sixth and seventh chances? Better keep your guard up around that person.
- Paul Stewart

- Stripes77

That's great

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.
- ThisJustinD

You're right. Your whole post was sad from start to finish

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.
- ThisJustinD

I think you lost focus on the entire point. I believe we should all forgive, but this issue is Cooke the hockey player. It is a privilege to play hockey, and if someone like a Cooke continues to break the rules, then he loses that privilege to play again. He can redeem himself in another occupation. Hopefully for all of us he does. Give him the chance off the ice.

Several months ago, Paul basically predicted that Cooke was bound to revert to his old ways at some point:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=55891
- bmeltzer

Thanks for posting Bill. This helps Paul's opinion carry more weight rather than just being another reactionary, hindsight is 20-20 post.

well said now if we could get rid of dustin brown
- 2Real

And Zac Rinaldo.

And Zac Rinaldo.
- acdc1206

And James Neal

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.
- ThisJustinD

The Cooke list:

2013/07/05 Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Minnesota Wild to a three-year contract.

2011/04/27 Missed the last 10 games of the regular season and 7 playoff games (suspension). (17)

2011/03/21 Suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the season and the first round of the playoffs.

2011/02/20 Missed 4 games (suspension). (4)

2011/02/09 Suspended by the NHL for four games.

2009/12/04 Missed 2 games (suspension). (2)

2009/11/29 Suspended by the NHL for two games.

2009/01/31 Missed 2 games (suspension). (2)

2009/01/27 Suspended by the NHL for 2 games.
2004/02/21 Suspended by the NHL for 2 games. (2) [TSN.CA]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0waePHWjVGY

And James Neal
- JonnyHammerstix

And Milan Lucic

Players Cooke has injured

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.
- ThisJustinD

when cooke keeps getting paid why should he change? right?

The Cooke list:

2013/07/05 Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Minnesota Wild to a three-year contract.

2011/04/27 Missed the last 10 games of the regular season and 7 playoff games (suspension). (17)

2011/03/21 Suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the season and the first round of the playoffs.

2011/02/20 Missed 4 games (suspension). (4)

2011/02/09 Suspended by the NHL for four games.

2009/12/04 Missed 2 games (suspension). (2)

2009/11/29 Suspended by the NHL for two games.

2009/01/31 Missed 2 games (suspension). (2)

2009/01/27 Suspended by the NHL for 2 games.
2004/02/21 Suspended by the NHL for 2 games. (2)
- cabin[TSN.CA]

Gross. I was initially thinking 25 games (rest of playoffs) for this one.

After reading the blog and seeing the 17 games already on the list, 25 seems no where near enough.

You're right. Your whole post was sad from start to finish
- Vukota

And ironic.

That post should get him suspended from here.

No disrespect Paul, but it is easy to say what you've said after the fact. As they say, hindsight is 20-20. Wondering if you are "on record" with this opinion re Cooke prior to last night's unfortunate hit. It would definitely lend more credence to your opinion and make it something more than just reactionary towards a player with a bad reputation.
- Brad Ratgen

Yes, it's easy to say "I told you so" after the fact. Even though he's absolutely dead right here, this smacks of piling on. Just my $.02.

*edit* and I now see that he did actually predict this action by Cooke thanks to Bills context. Fair enough, and I stand corrected.

What exactly do burn wards and cancer patients have to do with recidivists? The former group are victims, not perpetrators. BTW I have done decades of charity work in hospitals and with cancer patients, even apart from being a cancer survivor myself. What have YOU ever done, keyboard warrior?

At any rate, I am all for second chances and a clean slate. Sixth and seventh chances? Better keep your guard up around that person.
- Paul Stewart

lol. Way to skip the entirely relevant first two comparisons to pick on the apples and oranges third one; then slip in some COMPLETELY irrelevant self-aggrandizing.

You should speak to the people at AA. Maybe be a commencement speaker at a school for troubled teens. Oh wait, how about preach your "people never change" to the burn wards and the cancer patients.

You want to punish Cooke, fine, but your general attitude towards redemption just sucks. The fact that you trumpet you knew Cooke would screw up before he even did (when in fact his penalty minutes and suspensions suggested otherwise), says that you are a negative person, and I feel sorry for you.

The world is full of people who made mistakes in the past, repeatedly even, and overcame them to be successful people and upstanding individuals. The list is too long to even put here.

Just sad, the whole thing.
- ThisJustinD

It's one thing to give people at AA or Troubled Teens unlimited chances when they are mostly hurting themselves. It's another to continually give more chances to say, someone who keeps attempting murder, going to prison, getting out, and trying again. Eventually, you just leave him in prison for the rest of his life before he ends it all for someone else. You don't stop hoping the person changes, but you don't put good citizens at risk based on that hope. Cooke can earn his redemption, but it doesn't have to be at the risk of hockey players who follow the rules; he can do so outside of the NHL.

However, Cooke didn't do anything that Bickell didn't do twice in Game 2 of the Blues/blackhawks series. NHL needs to decide what is allowed and what isn't, then punish primarily based on actions, with result of the actions and past history being very secondary concerns. Instead, much like the on ice officiating, the latter two seem to matter more than the first.

And ironic.

That post should get him suspended from here.
- Tumbleweed

not that it matters clearly he created a new account to hide behind and now back to whatever awful poster he is any other day

I am asking specifically about Matt Cooke and any prior opinions that are on record re Cooke specifically. That's all. Don't have to hate on an honest question.
- Brad Ratgen

Brad Ratgen everybody! Proud blogger of the Minnesota Wild! Don't mind him, he's just a really good at being an ignorant clown. Brad, do you realize how funny it is to the rest of us to see the likes of you questioning an accomplished former ref like Stewy? Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?