7 games seems like a pretty light penalty for his track record.
Well he wasn't even considered a repeat offender anymore. Almost two years has passed since he was in any sort of trouble. Nearly a model citizen with the Wild and a real asset to the team.
His track record got him 7 games, anyone else would have sat for 2 or 3.
Here's a quote from retired NHL official Kerry Fraser that I pulled off of TSN on Matt Cookes suspension.
My colleague and friend Bob McKenzie shared the following information with me that should address your questions. A player's record is expunged if he goes 18 months without an infraction but that only applies to the formula for calculating lost wages. If a player has a fine or suspension in last 18 months, he's a repeat offender and the lost wages formula is based on number of games suspended (5/82 for a five game suspension) as opposed to number of days (5/182 for a five game suspension in a 182-day regular season).
But a player's "history" stays with him as a permanent record and the NHL can take into account any or all past transgressions when determining length of a suspension.
History doesn't allow the NHL to suspend a player who, if not for his history, wouldn't be suspended. But once an illegal play has taken place, the NHL can use Matt Cooke's history as part of his sentencing even if his transgressions were years ago.
With as many suspensions as he's had, he will always be considered guilty when he has an infraction like he did the other night, and rightly so.
