Jon Cooper

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Cooper took over as Lightning head coach on March 25, 2013, after the dismissal of Guy Boucher. In 2014–15, he led the team to franchise records in points (108) and wins (50), and to the Eastern Conference championship. The Lightning lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final. On March 22, 2016, Cooper recorded his 143rd win, passing Terry Crisp for second all-time in franchise wins. On March 30, 2018, he recorded his 240th win, passing John Tortorella for most wins in franchise history. On March 18, 2019, Cooper coached the Lightning to their first Presidents' Trophy. On April 1, 2019, he coached the team to its 60th win of the season, becoming the second coach in NHL history to coach a team to 60 wins, joining Scotty Bowman. Tampa Bay finished with 62 wins, tying the 1995–96 Detroit Red Wings for most wins in a season. However, the Lightning were swept in the first round of the 2019 playoffs by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In Their Own Story

On September 28, 2020, Cooper led the Lightning to the franchise's second Stanley Cup, beating the Dallas Stars in six games. After the win, Cooper stated the team drew inspiration from the Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program, which had lost as a top seed in the 2018 NCAA tournament before winning the national championship the next year. On July 7, 2021, Cooper led the Lightning to their third Stanley Cup, beating the Montreal Canadiens in five games. He became the first coach to win back-to-back Stanley Cups since Mike Sullivan with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. On December 9, 2021, Cooper recorded his 400th career win in a victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, setting the record for fewest games coached to reach 400 wins (659 games). On April 1, 2022, he coached in his 700th career NHL game; his 426 wins at that point were the most in NHL history through 700 games. The Lightning reached a third consecutive Stanley Cup Final in 2022 but lost in six games to the Colorado Avalanche.

Reader's Guide

After the 2022 loss, Cooper's Lightning continued regular season success. On January 9, 2024, Cooper recorded his 500th NHL win in a 3–2 overtime game against the Los Angeles Kings. However, postseason success became elusive: the Lightning lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, then suffered consecutive first-round defeats to the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025. On January 12, 2026, Cooper recorded his 600th NHL win with a 5–1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The 2025–26 regular season was another success, with the Lightning finishing second in the division. Cooper was a Jack Adams Award finalist for the third time and finished first in balloting, 3 points clear of Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. Upon receiving the trophy, Cooper admitted he 'never thought this day would come.' The Lightning were ousted in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive time.

Did You Know?

• Cooper is the only coach to win a championship in all three tiers of junior hockey in the United States.
• He set a North American professional hockey record with the Norfolk Admirals for the longest regular season winning streak at 28 games in a row.
• Cooper recorded his 400th career win in his 659th game, the fewest games coached to reach 400 wins in NHL history.
• He is the first coach to win back-to-back Stanley Cups since Mike Sullivan accomplished the feat with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
• Cooper graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hofstra University in 1989 and later graduated from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.