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From www.vernonvipers.com,
Vernon Vipers Name Matt Cooke as Head Coach and General Manager | Vernon Vipers
Matt Cooke interview,
Matt Cooke Named Vipers GM & Head Coach
From www.vernonmorningstar.com
Vernon Vipers Cooke up new head coach, GM - Vernon Morning Star
Matt Cooke's Player Profile:
14 comments:
Hallelujah, a step in the right direction. Now we can only hope that he has full control.
I didn't notice any reference to John Glen at the press conference. Nothing either way whether he's staying or if he's gone. I really liked that Mike Sillinger is an advisor. Maybe he can guide some players here.
Just by watching the introduction and noticing there was no sign or mention of brother John, I'm going to predict he's gone which would definitely be a positive thing
This is huge news! I have been saying for a while now, after one of the worst seasons in franchise history last season, changes were needed!
I love the idea of Matt Cooke as the new Head Coach/GM. It sounds to me like Cooke will be in charge and running the team. You can bet Cooke will have a hard working team to play against team that doesn't quit and plays hard. Ownership made a huge mistake letting go of Mark Ferner and replacing him with Jason McKee. Coaching has been one of the biggest problems with the Vipers after Ferner left. McKee and Lomicky's teams were average or mediocre teams at best. The Vipers have finally brought in hockey minded people with strong resumes and hopefully will allow them to do their job and not get involved like we have seen in the past. With training camp in late August, it doesn't sound like the Vipers have any players signed or committed? Cooke's really going to have to scramble to try and at least get some players asap and then I would guess start making trades to acquire players he is looking for. Cooke is also going to have to change the culture and want kids to come play in Vernon again.
I like the idea of bringing in Mike Sillinger and Barry Chyzowski. A fresh new face and new voice never hurts. I see Cooke mentioned he will be hiring two new assistant coaches.
I also noticed John Glen, Todd Miller and Eric Morrissette were not at the press conference. I would expect someone like Matt Cooke would want full control and allow him to run the team and let him do his job.
The Glens have made some very poor decisions since purchasing the Vipers in 2018 and other then going to the league finals in their first season, have yet to put together a strong/competitive team. I think this is the first bright move in the right direction.
After a very dismal 2024-25 season and no news regarding player signings or players committing to the Vipers for the 2025-26 season, things didn't look good. The way the summer was going I wasn't expecting much and another losing season but after the news today, I'm very excited and looking forward to seeing what Matt Cooke can do with the Vipers. Welcome to Vernon Matt!
Go Vipers Go!
Oh Wow! So the rumor was true. Gotta like this news hey Diehard! Now maybe Cooke can get to work and try to get us some players. I'm really pumped for the season now haha I like what Cooke had to say, sounds good.
When did the Vipers change from www.vipers.bc.ca to www.vernonvipers.com ?
vipers.bc.ca was used from about 1998 to late 2019
As someone who watched Matt Cooke coach the Growlers’ worst season in franchise history, I genuinely hope things go better for Vernon.
Interesting how everyone seems to think that because Cooke played Pro, that automatically makes him a good coach-gm. He has never coached one game of Jr hockey, nor has any management experience. His H.C. resume in both the ECHL and High School hockey is below average at best. In the present fluid hockey landscape, especially the BCHL ( out of H.C.)some experience maybe a factor in success...or not....
Well here we go. This is one rumour that turned out to be true. I'm not sure Lomicky was all of the problem as Johnn Glen has to take his share too. However Cooke will come with some credibility due to his NHL experience. He also coached an ECHL team which is a pretty high level of hockey.
Wow lots of comments on the Vipers Facebook page. Positive and negative, shows you how everyone has an opinion on the new coach. It will be interesting to see how Cooke does this year and with such late notice.
Here are some comments from the Vipers facebook and castanet.
He’s going to teach everyone to be a goon and end careers
One of the ,Dirtiest NHLer is now coaching Wow
Watch your achilles
Cooke was one of the dirtiest players to ever lace them up. He has a suspension list a mile long. He ended a couple careers with surgical targeted hits to the head. Performance and professionalismš¤£š¤£ what a joke
Use your skates to injure players
Hopefully he doesn’t teach players how to hit like him
Cooke coached here in St John's for the Newfoundland Growlers final season in the ECHL. He was great and made a huge impact on the fans and the city... You are lucky to have a solid guy like him...
Dirtiest player of all time
Wonder if he will teach them how to ruin careers with the ompah stomp to ppl's Achilles
Wow they must be desperate
Dirtiest player in nhl history
He would fit right in with the current goons in south Florida.
Cookie will teach them how to take a guy's knee out, ending his career, with no damage to themselves.
How about the knee injuries he caused or concussion his head shots created. One of which ended the career of Marc Savard.
Oh yeah, he was a dirty player. During his NHL career, Cooke was criticized and often suspended for hits, some involving head-shots, or knee-on-knee collisions that have injured opposing players. Most notable was a hit to the head of Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins in March 2010, which was an important factor influencing NHL rule changes intended to deter such conduct. After his longest suspension in March 2011 for a hit to the head of Ryan McDonagh of the New York Rangers, Cooke pledged to change his style of play, although he had another lengthy suspension in April 2014 during the first round of the 2014 playoffs for a knee-on-knee hit delivered to Tyson Barrie of the Colorado Avalanche.
I would take note as a former NHL player with a taste of winning the big show that he worked under good coaches and had a chance to observe what it takes to be a winner.I believe such a coach/Gm will attract players to the vipers something that wouldn’t have happened under the previous coaching team. I would also note regarding the negative posts that your opinion is valued but at the end of the day it is a wait see for all of us vipers fans. We will all know 10 games in what Matte Cooke brings to the table and whether it feeds our appetite as a good thing or a bad thing. So positives and negatives let’s wait and see . Go Vipers Go.
Comment deleted by Vipersdiehardfan
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