The Hockey News: Headlines: Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Matt Cooke to replace Jarkko Ruutu

Pittsburgh Penguins sign forward Matt Cooke to replace Jarkko Ruutu

2008-07-05 20:30:00

PITTSBURGH - Free agent forward Matt Cooke signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh on Saturday, replacing Jarkko Ruutu as the Penguins' primary agitator.

The Penguins also offered Ruutu a two-year contract earlier this week but he signed a three-year deal with the Ottawa Senators after free agent bidding began.

The five-foot-11, 205-pound Cooke had 10 goals, 13 assists and 91 penalty minutes in 78 games with the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals last season. Cooke, a left winger who usually plays on the penalty-killing unit, was acquired by Washington at the trade deadline for left winger Matt Pettinger.

Ruutu had six goals, 10 assists and 138 penalty minutes in 71 games with Pittsburgh and added two goals and an assist in 20 playoff games.

Cooke, who will turn 30 before next season begins, has 86 goals, 124 assists and 652 penalty minutes in 583 career games with Vancouver and Washington. He had three goals and four assists in 17 games with the Capitals.

COMMENTS (13)

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jbird Posted
(2009-04-30 06:33:52)

The pens won't be the oilers. they are in america and players actually want to play there. THe oilers have to trade for players because free agents shun them. The oilers offer lots of money but no takers. Plus the pens have locked up all thier core players for years edmonton never could do that because of the pre cap system. Hossa played well for the pens but he was always a rental player who has no loyalty to anyone but himself(there is a reason ottowa and atlanta traded him) now he wants the cup in detroit but i don't think the wings will be back in the finals next season(repeating is so hard and the majority of the team just isn't as hungry for it after a winning year plus the west is super tough). The pens can definatly be back in the east.

den Posted
(2009-04-30 06:33:22)

i think honestly the pens are the next edmonton oilers waiting to happen....as for new jersey winning a cup...unless brouder turns 25 again i don't see it happening

HOCKEYPAT Posted
(2009-04-30 06:33:13)

TO DIRTY SANCHEZ; uSE YOUR HEAD HOW MANY PLAYOFF GAMES WAS HOSSA IN AND HOW WAS HIS SCORING. HOW DID HE DO WITH PGH. WAS THERE A WEAKNESS HE WAS PLAYING WITH SID AND HE LOOKED GOOD PLAYING WITH HIM. LISTEN TO HIS REASON FOR GOING TO DETROIT I THINK HES RIDING DET. COAT TAILS INSTEAD OF WORKING FOR THE CUP HE WANTS DETROIT TO GIVE IT TO HIM. FIRST LAST AND ALWAYS HE DIDN1T PLAY ONLY THE PLAYOFFS I CALL THAT A RENTAL. HE HAD NOTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT ATLANTA SO WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT. WE1LL SEE AT THE END OF THE YEAR HOW HOSSA DOES.

Dirty Sanchez Posted
(2009-04-30 06:33:04)

I've got one question for the Pens fans: If the Pens are soooo stocked and loaded, then why did Hossa chose Detroit for 400K more and only a 1 year deal? Does he see something, some kind of weakness that sent him packing? This isn't a dig at the Pens but more so curiousity as to why a premier player chose a different route to the Cup.

PeNZ fan Posted
(2009-04-30 06:33:03)

Also looking forward to Pens season. Pens seem over stocked on D though (who would think you could ever say that). Gonchar, Whitney, Orpik, Sydor, Gill, Letang, Scuderi, Eaton - Would presume atleast two are traded prior to season. Most likely Sydor and his $2.5m contract.

Pathfinder Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:59)

Hm, Finger plays D, Cook plays Forward. Not supposed to be the same!!!!! Great replacement for Ruttu with out locking into something LT to tie up $. Pens needed to add some grit and a role player to the line-up in light of a couple of losses (Roberts & Ruttu). Looking forward to seeing Cook in the black & gold! Performance based contracts are the way to go rather than attempting to sign role players when the sometimes lose ambition & production once they get LT contracts. Pens are nearly set - a couple of fine tuning moves before Sept 1.

billy o Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:58)

Montreal...NJ... wining the cup....cry baby SIDs team?HAHAH you gotta come thru Hockeytown boys....

T Fizzle Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:57)

He's no Jeff Finger

Reynold Lee Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:56)

These 2 year deals are what every team should be doing. These players aren't core players use em up and discard them. pens have cap space and lots of trade bait