Quote:
Originally Posted by edn88
Let me preface this by saying that I am not a Wild fan, nor a Cooke fan (I think he is fortunate that someone has not taken justice into their own hands and doled out some frontier justice on him for his past antices).
I say this because I know this is going to be a wildly unpopular opinion, by what I see on the video, I don't really think he was trying to knee the other guy. It looks like he is trying to make a shoulder hit, but his momentum is wrong, and so he is putting out his leg to help pull himself over. When Barrie further ovoids the check it puts them both in a bad position.
I had something like this happen to me in midget hockey - an almost identical play - I was trying to hit a guy coming across the blue line, miss timed the hit, he got out of the way, so I extended my body (and leg). It ended poorly for me - I actually ended up breaking my leg on the play - but I was not trying to knee the guy (and I certainly didn't want to put my leg in jeopordy) but instinct took over.
I think the play was certainly dangerous, and a different NHL player than Cooke would have recieved a single game for this hit. I don't really know if Cooke has turned over a new leaf or not, but compared to some of the hits he was been guilty of, this one didn't seem in the same category as the others.
Sorry to be contrary to the popluar opionion, and now will prepare for the onslaught....
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Here's the problem:
Even if your theory is 100% correct, it goes from Matt Cooke attempting to check an opponent with his knee to Matt Cooke attempting to check an opponent while leading with his knee. Either way, the intention is there, malicious or not.