After his errant skate blade sliced into Erik Karlsson’s Achilles tendon and ended his season, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke texted the Ottawa Senators’ star defenceman to express his regret, reports the Winnipeg Sun.
“I reached out to him via text message. Whether or not he responds to me, I understand. At the end of the day, it was a freak, unfortunate accident and I can’t control anything else but that,” said Cooke, who was met with a crowd of reporters as the Penguins prepared for Friday night’s contest against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. “If I went back to when I made the comments about changing my game, I never thought (references to my checkered history) would stop or end over the course of my career. I’m trying to hide that persona and I’m prepared to do it for the long haul. I was prepared for it from the media.”
Cooke also responded to comments made Thursday by Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, who told the Ottawa Citizen that Cooke was a “five-time suspended goon” who took out one of the game’s elite players on Wednesday.
“That’s the question I pose, and I pose it to everyone: ‘What is this guy even doing still playing?’ ” Melnyk had said.
“Obviously, I’m sorry that Mr. Melnyk feels that way. But I understand the position that he’s in. It’s not easy,” Cooke told the Sun. “I obviously felt bad about the cut and just hope that he has a fast recovery. I know it’s not fast, but as fast as possible.
“This is different than it was in the past for me. I know where my head is and how I feel about the play, and that’s what’s most important.”
Karlsson, the 2012 Norris Trophy winner and arguably the best defenceman of 2013 as well, underwent surgery Thursday to repair his left Achilles tendon, which was 70 per cent cut by a Cooke’s skate blade.
Senators general manager Bryan Murray said Thursday the surgery went well. Recovery is expected to be at least three-to-four months, thus ending Karlsson’s season.
Murray had the opportunity to speak to Karlsson, saying the player felt he “got directed and got cut with a skate that shouldn’t be where it was.”
(with files from CP)