Lawrence Jackson
Matt Cooke has dodged a suspension for the head shot that left Boston Bruins centre Marc Savard with a concussion.
NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell decided not to punish the Pittsburgh Penguins forward following a telephone hearing Wednesday afternoon. There was no official announcement from the NHL, as it does not make one when no suspension is levied.
Presumably, there was no additional punishment because the hit was not against existing NHL rules. The irony in the Cooke hit is it came one day before the league's general managers began their annual meetings with the goal of recommending a ban on hits to the head.
When the meetings ended Wednesday, the GMs put forth a rule proposal banning all blindside hits to the head. Offenders will be subject to a minor or major penalty and an automatic review by the league for further punishment.
If the proposal is passed by the NHL's competition committee and then the board of governors, it will come into effect next season.
Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was not available for comment, as the decision was unveiled after team executives had left for home.
Earlier Wednesday, Chiarelli said Savard still had not shown any improvement. "He's sensitive to light, sleeping, and has throbbing headaches. Nothing has changed," the GM said.
Savard is expected to see a concussion specialist Thursday.
The hit occurred late in a game last Sunday, as Savard took a shot on the Pittsburgh net. Cooke came from the side and hit Savard's head with his upper arm and perhaps part of his shoulder. No penalty was assessed on the play.
Before Wednesday's decision was made, Chiarelli did not want to say if he thought Cooke's hit would be considered illegal under the new rule proposal.
"I don't know," he said. "What I do know is that right now, there is no specific rule on shoulder hit to the head regardless of intent to injure or not, and that is unfortunate."