Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke named head coach of ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke has been named head coach of the ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers, it was announced Saturday via a team press release.
Cooke becomes the fourth head coach in team history, while Adam Pardy has been tabbed as a development coach ahead of the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Cooke, 45, played in 1,046 NHL games over his 16-year professional career, scoring 167 goals and accruing 1,135 penalty minutes.
Cooke is remembered as a Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins, contributing to the team's 2008-09 run that saw the upstart Penguins dethrone the reigning champion Detroit Red Wings in a seven-game series. With Pittsburgh, Cooke played in over 100 NHL playoff games, making the postseason 12 times during his 16 seasons in the league.
The Growlers open the 2023-24 ECHL season on Friday, Oct. 20, playing host to the Reading Royals.
