Penguins Sign Forward Cooke to Three-Year Extension

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Tuesday that they have signed left wing Matt Cooke to a three-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 79 games last season with the Penguins, Cooke had 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points and 106 penalty minutes. In 738 career NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, and Pittsburgh Penguins, he has 114 goals and 157 assists for 271 points and 859 penalty minutes. He won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009. Not a bad signing for the Penguins, as Cooke is a very tough and physical forward who is quickly becoming one of the top agitators in the league. He's a good open-ice hitter, but has earned the ire of many hockey fans for some very questionable and dirty hits, particularly the hit that resulted in Boston Bruins center Marc Savard missing the last 18 games of the 2009-10 season and six playoff games with a concussion. Still, he's a decent third line forward for the Penguins and will continue to bring lots of grit to their lineup for the next three years.