I remember the date of February 13thm 2011 quite well.

After an all-out brawl between the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins, where players were suspended, and dirty hits were being handed out like suckers at the grocery store to little kids, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux hopped up on his soap box and proclaimed:

“The NHL had a chance to send a clear and strong message that those kinds of actions are unacceptable and embarrassing to the sport," Lemieux said. "It failed."

Lemieux continued, “We, as a league, must do a better job of protecting the integrity of the game and the safety of our players. We must make it clear that those kinds of actions will not be tolerated and will be met with meaningful disciplinary action."

“If the events relating to Friday night reflect the state of the league, I need to rethink whether I want to be a part of it.”

I am now wondering how Mr. Lemieux feels after yet another irresponsible flying elbow was delivered by his employee, Matt Cooke, to the head of New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

Immediately, Cooke was thrown out of the game.

But seeing that the owner of the Penguins is so adamantly against about hits to the head being delivered, shouldn't Mr Lemieux hand out some justice to his player without the help of the NHL?

Should mario Lemieux step in and hand out some punishment to Matt Cooke as well.

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Doesn't Matt Cooke has to know that the best player in the NHL and his teammate, Sidney Crosby, has been sidelined indefinitely from a hit to the head?

Cooke should be more than aware of Mr. Lemieux's comments about such plays. Yet, he still goes out there with reckless abandon, with the sole intent to injure his peers.

I would think Mr. Lemieux would want to handle some sore of disciplinary action in-house on top of what the NHL and Colin Campbell decide is a just punishment.

So as we sit here and wonder what the suspension for Matt Cooke is going to be, I will say this:

If Mario Lemieux and the Penguins organization do not find a reason to punish their player above and beyond the NHL's suspension to him, I think we will have no other choice but to see Mario Lemieux as nothing more than a hypocrite as an owner of an NHL team.