Cooke reaches out to Karlsson via text

Jason Brough

Feb 15, 2013, 3:01 PM EDT

40 Comments

AP

Pittsburgh forward Matt Cooke faced a throng of reporters today in Winnipeg prior to tonight’s Penguins-Jets game.

Obviously, everyone wanted to know what Cooke had to say two days after his skate blade cut Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson’s Achilles’ tendon, ending the 22-year-old’s season.

Per the Winnipeg Sun, Cooke said he texted Karlsson, but “whether or not he responds to me, I understand. At the end of the day, it was a freak, unfortunate accident and I can’t control anything else but that.”

Cooke also said he understands Senators owner Eugene Melnyk’s frustration, though he was “sorry” Melnyk feels Cooke doesn’t belong in the NHL.

Clearly, the 34-year-old knows his reputation precedes him, but he says this incident isn’t like the ones that earned him the reputation.

“This is different than it was in the past for me,” he said. “I know where my head is and how I feel about the play and that’s what’s most important.”

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40 Comments (Feed for Comments)

Stiller43 - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:11 PM

Nice gesture…the fact karlsson didnt respond apparently means he agrees with his teammates.

I’ll say i hope cooke didnt mean to do it, because it would be terrible if he did.

That being said, i think he was just trying to get more of his body into the check, and it just happened…things happen in hockey you dont mean to do (as a player, i know firsthand). Best wishes to karlsson on a speedy recovery.
- ravenscaps48 - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:42 PM
  
  Well. That makes everything ALLLLLL BETTERRRRR
  - sportsfreak13 - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:58 PM
    
    I don’t recall pens management making a fuss when steckel elbow caught Crosby. He was out a lot longer then karlsson will be. We also lost malkin that year due to a knee from Myers. Still management didn’t conduct their own investigation or complain. What do those incidents have in common with this you ask. Their all accidents and occur due to the violent and quickness this sport is played with. Accept the hand your dealt and move on. Or sit there cry conspiracy and point fingers, but nothing will change except the amount you make yourself look like a fool by accusing someone of intentionally cutting someone with their blade on a simple board play.
  - somekat - Feb 15, 2013 at 4:02 PM
    
    Recall better. The Pens tried to change the rules after that happened
  - sportsfreak13 - Feb 15, 2013 at 4:08 PM
    
    What rules did they try to change? The headshot rule has nothing to do with the steckel hit because it was a accident. Management never said anything to contradict that.
  - somekat - Feb 15, 2013 at 4:12 PM
    
    Mario was crying like a baby how they had to “change the way the game is called” blah blah blah. As normal, Pens fans have selective amnesia. Luckily, the rest of the league ignored him, and said “call us the next time your franchise is threatening to move”
  - sportsfreak13 - Feb 15, 2013 at 4:31 PM
    
    Regarding head shots yes. No they didnt ignore him they started coming down harder on people delivering headshots (see torres) and now call a penalty when someone makes contact with opponents head more strict then they did in past. They still never accused steckel’s hit on crosby being dirty. I see your a flyer fan.
  - killerpgh - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:16 PM
    
    Somekat, please show the comments Mario made after the Crosny/Steckel hit? Because you are completely wrong. Mario complained after the Islanders game where talbot got attacked from behind like the Bertuzzi/Moore incident and Gillies gave Tangradi a flying elbow that knocked him out and then continued to beat him while he was laying on ice out cold. Then continues to taunt Tangradi while the trainer is working on him. Do you think that has a place in the game? I’m all for 2 willing guys beating the crap out of each other. But those 2 things did nothing but hurt the game and give all the people that want fighting taking out of the game ammo. Around that same time the Bruins played the Habs and it was a fight filled game and there was no talk about taking fighting out. It was great. Tons of fights. Lots of excitement. Than a few days later the Isles/Pens debacle happened an all the talk started up. I wonder why?
  - ravenscaps48 - Feb 15, 2013 at 7:08 PM
    
    Good lord. I started some stuff on here. Haha. I was saying that in a joking matter. I actually agree with Matt Cooke here. It was unintentional and unfortunate it happened. That being said. Keep your skates on the ice bro.
- eigglesnosuperbowls - Feb 15, 2013 at 6:28 PM
  
  Yo Matt you did enough for something you didn’t do ! Go out and be a ball player crush somebody and get yourself right ! You can’t change or you will be looking for a job and Mickey Mantle ain’t gonna pay your bills !
950003cups - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:17 PM

Cooke meant to hurt him. He just wasn’t thinking. He’s a low life scumbag who made a living off this crap. He accidentally bumped in to Savard too? How about “accidentally swung his skate blade at Osgood’s neck after the whistle?

Dude should just go away. Anyone who defends him is as much a scumbag as him.
- 950003cups - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:37 PM
  
  wow, must be a lot of Pens fans here. Hey, I hear there’s a good defenseman coming in the draft, why not tank the season for a number one pick like you did to get Mario and Crosby… Far cry from the class of the Steelers organization.
  - killerpgh - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:20 PM
    
    You do know there was no season the year before the Penguins drafted Crosby right? Just keep showing us all your intelligence.
  - travishenryskid - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:49 PM
    
    No season, correct. All the more suspicious. #rigged
  - paperlions - Feb 15, 2013 at 6:01 PM
    
    I’m not a Pens fan….but you are still an idiot.
- miketoasty - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:41 PM
  
  Anyone who thinks that Cooke has the skill to check someone and while losing his balance, aim his skate blade at the exact area of the mans achilles (Avoiding the top of his boot), moving his skate blade in a slicing motion just precise enough to cut the area intended, all in a split second, without even looking down, is a complete and utter fool.
  - bcsteele - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:45 PM
    
    Actually made that point in another post, completely concur.
- bcsteele - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:44 PM
  
  I’m a Blues fan and I think you’re completely off base. And by the appearance of things I’d say I’m not the only one.
- lionstigersandwingsohmy - Feb 15, 2013 at 4:02 PM
  
  I didn’t remember the Osgod incident, but after seeing that, it makes me at least question the force he brought his skate down with against Karlsson.
- hockeyflow33 - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:10 PM
  
  You should be ashamed that you’re forcing people to defend Cooke. It clearly wasn’t intentional and outside of being stupid, there isn’t a reason too think it was.
  - malcolmsbeard - Feb 16, 2013 at 12:58 AM
    
    hey little a$$clown. when you actually have something to add to the comments, then comment. But your habit of just telling other posters they aren’t as intelligent as you is really old. Take your insecurities to a therapist and stop typing.
  - hockeyflow33 - Feb 16, 2013 at 3:39 AM
    
    Since we aren’t in kindergarten you can just write ass.
    
    I’ve also never claimed to be more or less intelligent than anyone else but I’m glad you inferred I’m much smarter than you. Thanks!
    
    I’ll stop critiquing other commenters when said commenters stop posting inane and useless thoughts. It’s like listening to ESPN talk hockey.
- misterchainbluelightning - Feb 15, 2013 at 6:02 PM
  
  There is a difference between trying to hurt and trying to injure. Cooke should have been blasted a long time ago for what he did in the past. But there’s nothing to suggest he did anything wrong against Karlsson. You hit people and you want them to hurt, you want them to feel it and remember it, this is a big part of football and hockey.
ironcity6pak - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:44 PM

Guilty by association, Cooke didn’t mean to do this and it was clean hit. Every sports writer that mentioned this incident said the same thing. He has a reputation and and has changed for the better, everyone that says he did this purposely is as big of a jerk as the next guy because the judge people based on priors rather then what that person has done to better them selves. Anyone that thinks he did this maliciously can F off including the Ott GM.
- 950003cups - Feb 15, 2013 at 3:55 PM
  
  Tell us something before we go “F off” Tell us if you feel any of these are an accident as well. I know what I saw, and I’m not going to take his word on it. He’s lied many times before about all these hits.
  
  If it
  looks like a duck
  walks like a duck
  quacks like a duck..
  Dont be a schmuk
  - davebabychreturns - Feb 15, 2013 at 4:33 PM
    
    Those are completely different types of play. If you can’t see that there’s no point discussing it.
    
    Although I will point out that it’s amusing to see you evidently taking umbrage at someone’s use of “F off” when you literally called anyone who disagrees with you a scumbag further up in this very comments section..
  - handsofsweed - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:41 PM
    
    Well, you posted three videos of hyenas. And now you want us to believe that a duck is a hyena? F off, dip$hit.
  - wingerond - Feb 16, 2013 at 3:50 AM
    
    Hey remember that one time Matt Cooke tried to slice Ozzie’s neck open? –said no Wings fan, ever.
    Stop trying to victimize our goalie for your own trolling purposes.
bengalguy - Feb 15, 2013 at 4:11 PM

I agree, Pens Brass wen’t CRAZY when Malkin got hurt and wanted the rules changed!
- killerpgh - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:24 PM
  
  Please share a link. Or admit you have no clue what you are talking about.
malkinrulez - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:05 PM

You realize you’re arguing with Flyers fans? Pointless, let them ramble on! They never let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory. The jealousy is obvious and I for one love it! Just nod your head and move on like you do if you encounter a crazy person on the street
steelers88 - Feb 15, 2013 at 5:06 PM

I don’t think he meant to do it was just a freak accident. All those videos were the old Matt Cooke this is the new Matt Cooke. The old Matt Cooke would have not sent a txt message apology. Also as a Penguins fans we know a lot about head shots. Head shots kept Crosby out for almost 2 years and it almost cost his career.
Nofoolnodrool - Feb 15, 2013 at 6:41 PM

ravenscaps48 | Feb 15, 2013, 3:42 PM EST
Well. That makes everything ALLLLLL BETTERRRRR

Yup just ask Ray Lewis….you have no room to judge if you are a raven fan moron….
- ravenscaps48 - Feb 15, 2013 at 8:56 PM
  
  Super Bowl Champion. Kiss The Ring
  - sfbookreviews - Feb 16, 2013 at 12:54 AM
    
    Aw, I bet your two trophies look mighty lonesome in a display case. Six look magnificent, you should drive up and look at them since that’ll be the only way you’ll ever see such a thing. And I checked all the statues around our sports venues and not a one of them depicts an accessory to murder. Imagine that.
  - ravenscaps48 - Feb 16, 2013 at 9:13 AM
    
    Since 1996, we have just as many Super Bowl Championships as the Pittsburgh Steelers do. Two. And I can guarantee you, If I was standing right in front of you and asked “What years did Pittsburgh win their 6 Super Bowls?” You would be able to give me two or three. Or “Can you name the starting QB before Tommy Maddox?” Bet you couldn’t do that without looking on the internet…. Fact. The Pittsburgh Football and Hockey teams are the biggest bandwagon teams in their respected sports.
  - 6superbowls - Feb 16, 2013 at 9:28 AM
    
    6 > 2. Bandwagon fans? Ha! Steeler Nation owns ever stadium in the NFL. Fact. Even yours. You guys should be thanking us for making great contributions to your local economy. Lord knows you need it.
ironcity6pak - Feb 15, 2013 at 7:19 PM

Look how fast this play went down. Don’t look at it in slow mo. They were both playing the puck and to have the thought process of coming down with your skate in less then a fraction of a second is just a stupid assumption. Like Cooke said along with every sports personality in sports not just hockey, “This was a freak accident with no malicious intent” to everyone bringing up the past about rule changes and who was crying when so and so hit elbowed, bit, hugged kissed so and so just stop. This is the now and this was the situation. The past has nothing to do with anything. Get over your selves. Yes I am a pens fan but I’m not making the argument for cook because of it. If was a flyers fan or another fan my point would not change.
dkphilly1122 - Feb 15, 2013 at 8:08 PM

Not all Flyer fans are bashing Cooke…….I think he is getting shafted in the media for an ACCIDENT. I hate the Pens as much as Pen fans hate us Flyer fans, but it was exactly that, a freak accident. Cooke is NOT that player he use to be without a doubt. Anyone who thinks he is doesn’t watch Pens games enough and is just judging him off of his Past actions. Which is fine if you wanna assume that, but you’re blind. He had NO INTENT, the play was flying like someone up further typed. How in hell could he aim directly where he hit if he was trying to hurt Karlsson?? Accident happen get over it. Not like Ottawa was going anywhere this year already without Spezza.
- pens5829 - Feb 16, 2013 at 9:59 AM
  
  An educated, mature fan. Relieved to see some left on the forum. Thank you.

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