The 2014-15 Minnesota Wild: Forwards

Photo: Wild.com

If there is one great strength for the Wild in 2014-15, its going to come from their forward position.

2013-14 Season In Review: Matt Cooke

Photo: Harry How/Getty Images

A look back at Matt Cooke's first season in Minnesota.

Matt Cooke Likely Out For Remainder of Series

It would appear that Matt Cooke has played his final game in the quarterfinal round.
Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn/USA Today

Early in the second period of last night's 1-0 Wild victory, Matt Cooke made a less than desirable hit on Colorado defenseman Tyson Barrie.

February Wrapup

It was a Olympic shortened month for the Wild which only saw them play five games. Even though there werent that many games, we still will take a look back at the month of February.

The Top 13 Stories of '13

Photo: Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images

Since we are winding down 2013 today, it makes sense to take a look back at the best stories from 2013. So to commemorate the year 2013, we will take a look back at the 13 best stories for the Wild.

October Wrap Up

Trying another new feature here where we wrap up each month by looking back at the best players, plays, and game. Here is the Team of 18,001's October Wrap Up:

Sunday Morning Thoughts

In the wake of a 5-1 rout of the Stars last night, the Wild are now 2-1-2 and head out on a four game trip through the Atlantic Division. Here are some thoughts from the past week and for the week ahead.

The 2013-14 Minnesota Wild: Forwards

Two seasons ago, the Wild were the worst scoring team in the league. They averaged just over two goals per game and had the most lifeless offense in the NHL. So how does Chuck Fletcher fix that lifeless offense? He totally retools the forward position by infusing the lineup with a good mix of veteran stars and young kids with vast potential.

Preseason Thoughts/Disclaimers

Last night, I was able to attend the Wild's first preseason game against Columbus. The Wild lost 3-1, and did not look their best but keep in mind several top players were not on the ice (Koivu, Parise, Suter, etc.). Here are a few thoughts I had from last night's EXHIBITION game:

Training Camp Thoughts

The last few days, the Wild opened their doors to the fans for practice and scrimmage during the team's training camp. I was able to get down to Xcel Energy Center yesterday for the practice session, and was able to catch today's scrimmage via the team's website (although the video quality was no help). Here are a few thoughts from the past few days:

A New Face In The State Of Hockey: Matt Cooke

Matt Cooke

Left Wing

5'11"

205 lbs

Shoots: Left

Born: September 7, 1978

Birthplace: Belleville, Ontario
Acquired: Signed a 3 year $7.5 million deal on July 5th.

To be honest folks, this is a subject I refuse to poke at. You drop the name Matt Cooke around these parts and everyone seems to find a ridiculous level of rage.

Since I have made my feelings on Matt Cooke quite clear, please consult this post from early July to see where I stand (I really did not want to write the same post twice).

For those who don't want to follow the link, I'll sum it up for you: Calm down about Matt Cooke. His past IS INDEED IN THE PAST. He makes this team better.

Substitute "Mayor dying" for "Matt Cooke signs with the Wild"

Everyone needs to get over it.

Welcome to the State of Grudges Hockey Matt Cooke!

Follow Giles on Twitter @gilesferrell

Why Is Matt Cooke Here?

Last night, Chuck Fletcher turned the entire Minnesota Wild fan base upside down when he signed Matt Cooke to a three year deal. Literally the entire fan base united together and hailed the move as ridiculous, mainly due to Cooke's past.

It is true that Cooke does have a terrible history in this league when it comes to supplemental discipline. Five different times between 2008 and 2011, Cooke was suspended for illegal hitting. His worst hit was a elbow to the head of Bruins F Marc Savard, but he did not receive a suspension, as the play was deemed to be within the rules. Following the hit, the league made substantial changes to its hitting policy, focusing on hits to the head.

Following his last suspension in 2011 (a suspension that caused him to miss the entire postseason), Cooke took it upon himself to change his game. He wanted to still be that gritty player, but play within the rules. He took the time to go over his hits, and studied how he needed to change. In the time since he studied how to change, Matt Cooke has not been suspended. In fact, its hard to remember an instance where you said, "Thats a dirty play."

In addition to the changed physical play, Cooke also improved his overall game significantly. Offensively, he has decent speed, good hands, and can score 12-15 goals a season. Defensively, he buzzes around the puck causing issues for the opposition (mainly from his physical play), and has been one of the Penguins top penalty killers the past four seasons.

Cooke also brings ample playoff experience with him from Pittsburgh, playing in 58 playoff games with the Pens. He was part of their 2009 Stanley Cup championship squad, scoring one goal and six assists on the Pens third line during that postseason run.

If you all want to hate the baggage Matt Cooke brings with him to Minnesota, fine. But hate the baggage, not the player. The player is much different from when he used to antagonize the Wild with Vancouver many years ago.

You need to ask yourself, why is Matt Cooke here? Is he here to throw elbows around and get suspended several times? Absolutely not. So you need to get over that fact real fast. Because Matt Cooke is here to help this team win. And I know most of you can't believe this when I say he CAN help this team win.

If you are going to be rash and hate the Wild because they have Matt Cooke, go right ahead and hate them. But I'll be right there to show you the door.

We all need to trust in what Chuck Fletcher is doing. Teams who contend for the Stanley Cup every year are not built overnight (this is by no means saying we are going to win the Cup on the sole premise of signing Matt Cooke). It takes time. He has a plan for this team as a whole, and he feels Matt Cooke can be an integral part of that plan. We need to start to trust in Chuck (a hashtag I have been using on twitter lately).

Matt Cooke has changed so much. His past is indeed in the past. Care about his future with the Wild, not his past with different teams.

Lets all take a chance and believe in him.


Follow Giles on Twitter @gilesferrell

Wild Sign Matt Cooke

Cooke won the 2009 Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh

Just minutes after the Wild traded Devin Setoguchi to the Jets, the team announced they signed free agent F Matt Cooke to a three year deal worth $7.5 million. His cap hit will be at $2.5M for each of those seasons.

Cooke is an awfully troubling signing. He has had several suspensions in the past for his foul play (the worst was his hit on Bruins F Marc Savard). He seems to have cleaned that aspect of that up, but his hit on Erik Karlsson this past year stirred that debate up again. So on this front, the Wild are taking a huge gamble with all of that baggage.

Besides the dirty play, Cooke has a very decent skill set. He is coming from a high powered Pittsburgh team, so that might skew his offensive stats. But he has been averaging around 15 goals with the Pens, and had eight this past year, which was a strike shortened season. He is very good on the PK, and can hold his own in the defensive zone.

He will probably slot on the third line as Cal Clutterbuck's replacement this fall. But my question is, if the Wild were going to deal Seto, why not keep Clutter who would be a much cheaper option than Cooke? They both are pretty similar in style of play.

There will be more from this move later on, but right now I can't even grasp where I stand with this signing. Lets all just give this a few days and let it sink in and see where we stand with this.