Matt Cooke News

Cooke will undergo sports hernia surgery and is expected to miss 5-6 weeks.

Cooke missed Tueday’s game with an upper-body injury, which is evidently a sports hernia that he will have operated on. Cooke will be out until mid-to-late March, which is good news for Jordan Schroeder, who should get an extended stay with the Wild while Cooke is out.

Matt Cooke
Cooke (hip) will return to the Wild lineup tonight vs. the Predators.

Cooke has been sidelined with a hip injury since October 28th, but will be back in tonight against Nashville. Cooke had an excellent start to the season, recorded six points (2G /4), a plus-5 rating and four PIMS in eight games. Tonight he will skate on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter.

Matt Cooke
Cooke (hip) returned to Wild practice on Monday.

Cooke has been sidelined with a hip injury since October 28th. Returning to practice on Monday is a positive step in Cooke’s return to the lineup. Expect him to practice for a few days at least, before he is cleared to play. Cooke had two goals and four assists in eight games before getting hurt.

Matt Cooke
The Minnesota Wild added some grit to their lineup Friday when they signed forward Matt Cooke to a three-year contract worth $7.5 million.

Cooke, 34, had 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) and 36 penalty minutes in 48 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012-13. He led team forwards with 41 blocked shots, ranked second among team forwards in shorthanded minutes per game at 2:11, and ranked fifth on Pittsburgh with 97 hits.

Matt Cooke
The reality, though, is that he is a capable, useful winger. He's an effective forechecker, works diligently in his own end and is an integral member of what was the NHL's top penalty-killing unit last season.

Expect a slightly neutered Cooke this season following another controversial campaign full of cheap shots and checks from behind. Last season he scored 12 goals and 30 points through 67 games adding 129 PIM. He could be a useful player in deeper leagues although the PIM probably take a hit.

Matt Cooke