LATEST | Longtime Canucks forward lands finds his way back into professional hockey
During his playing days, he may have been known for controversial incidents on the ice which landed him multiple suspensions, but off the ice, former Vancouver Canucks forward Matt Cooke has been helping young players develop their game.
Cooke will now make the jump back into the professional hockey world after being named as the next Head Coach of the East Coast Hockey League's Newfoundland Growlers.
Cooke, 45, spent the first nine seasons of his National Hockey League career with the Vancouver Canucks, who selected him in the sixth round (144th overall) back in 1997. During his nine years with the Canucks, Cooke appeared in 566 games where he put up 203 points (83 goals, 120 assists), 625 penalty minutes and was a plus-14.
It's going to be interesting to see what impact Cooke has on the Growlers, who are the ECHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs. In their four season of existence, the Growlers have had plenty of success, but the last two years, they've lost in the third round to the Florida Everblades.
Cooke will make his Head Coaching debut with the Growlers on Friday, October 20th against the Reading Royals.
Source: Newfoundland Growlers
| POLL | ||
Do you think Cooke will be a coach in the NHL one day? | ||
| Yes | 168 | 39.3 % |
| No | 141 | 33 % |
| Not Sure | 118 | 27.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
