Get To Know The Kings’ Newest Opponents
By Eric Roberts
April 27, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Cooke, Minnesota Wild
Just when the The Western Conference thought they caught a break when Cal Clutterbuck skipped town, it got a lot tougher to play in when the Wild signed Cooke.
Overall this switch benefited the Wild tremendously. They got Nino Niederreiter and his possible offense in return for Clutterbuck, and then filled Clutteruck’s spot with a better Cooke.
Through out his 14-seasons, Cooke has been dished five suspensions by the NHL. Depending on how many games Cooke plays this season he may hit the 1,000 game mark in his career, and has 153 goals and 360 points coming into this season.
Honestly, the biggest thing about this trade is that the Penguins were smart enough to trade Cooke out of the East and into the Western Conference.
The Wild stay in the Western Conference and absorbed much of the old Central Division into their division.