Ruutu vs. Cooke

[GaryRissling]

I wish Cooke would back up his "pestiness" once in a while....Ruutu did that quite successfully.....

I don't like his reputation for being a heavy hitter that runs away from the odd fight.....If Kennedy and Fedotenko can fight, why can't he?

I agree. Not to sound like Grapes, but fighting is an important part of the game while it is legal and it has to be utilized. Last year, Malone, Ruutu, Colby, etc., would all fight for the club and set an example for the team as well as the tone of the games - this year's team would not be able to turn an 8-2 defeat into momentum for the club as last year's team did against Philly - and last year's team would not have whimpered to a 7-3 loss to Toronto or a subsequent heartless 2-0 loss to Tampa. IMO, this is what we are missing this year, and I was dismayed at Cooke pulling a Kaleta on Lacavalier, particularly with our club struggling.

How many times in the past month or two have you seen slew-foots, can-openers, slashes, butt-ends, etc against our better players go completely without response? Too many for me, and much more than last year IMO. We need to get back a bit of the team toughness that we have had for the past couple of years, and Cooke won't answer that call.

Remember Ruutu/Tucker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRiLdkOI-KA

[bh]

I like them both equally. I wish both were on the team. Ruutu just had a presance. Yes he'd take dumb penalties, but he was a decent backchecker, funny, and seemed to fire the team up at times when they needed it. I agree Matt Cooke is more skilled but Ruutu had more skill than a lot of people give him credit for.

[Sarcastic]

I was dismayed at Cooke pulling a Kaleta on Lacavalier

Well, I loved what he did there. He took Vinny off the ice for 2 minutes and gave us a PP. That's what a pest's supposed to do... get under other team's skin. Maybe he could do more fighting, as you say, but I loved the Vinny thing.

[GaryRissling]

I was dismayed at Cooke pulling a Kaleta on Lacavalier

Well, I loved what he did there. He took Vinny off the ice for 2 minutes and gave us a PP. That's what a pest's supposed to do... get under other team's skin. Maybe he could do more fighting, as you say, but I loved the Vinny thing.

I can see that point and that is what Cooke was trying to do - but IMO I think this team right now needs heart and character much more than guile.