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.”