The Belleville, Ontario native brings over 16 years of experience at the professional level. Cooke won the Stanley Cup in 2009 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins ranks near the top of his professional resume, perhaps Cooke’s accomplishments off the ice are what aspiring elite student-athletes and their families will respect most. In 2003, while a member of the Vancouver Canucks, the 42-year-old received the Fred J. Hume Award, given to the team’s “unsung hero.” A few years later, in his second NHL stop with the Penguins, Cooke has tabbed the Edward J. DeBartolo Community Service Award Winner, and was Pittsburgh’s nominee for the prestigious Bill Masterton Trophy, an honor presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.

After hanging up his skates following the 2014-2015 season, Cooke immediately started giving back to the game, serving as a member of the Orono High School coaching staff and leading the Minnesota Revolution ‘AAA’ program. Husband to Michelle, and father to Gabriella, Reece, and Jackson, Cooke believes the opportunity to lead TPH-Minnesota and carry out its vision through the Center of Excellence model is the perfect next step on his hockey journey.