Lightning’s Julien Briesbois on coach Jon Cooper: ‘He’s here for a while’
Jon Cooper is the longest-tenured current NHL coach, having been hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning back on March 25, 2013.
And that’s not about to change any time soon.
Talking to the media at the end-of-season press conference, Lightning GM Julien Brisebois said that Cooper will remain coach of the Bolts, despite many around the hockey world wondering if they’d make a change.
“He’s here for a while,” Brisebois said.
The rumblings surrounding Cooper’s future came after Tampa’s fourth straight first-round loss, this time at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens. The Bolts still managed to finish second in the Atlantic Division, with 50 wins and 106 points. Both totals are the most they’ve achieved since 2021-22.
“It was a big, big year for him,” Brisebois said. “When you start putting it in context like that, yeah, it’s amazing what he’s been able to do. Again, I know in our business we put a lot of emphasis on the head coach. I’m certainly not taking anything away from Coop. You know my affection and admiration for Coop. But it’s a staff, right? I know he’s got a really good staff with him that helps him, that supports him. All of those guys bring a lot to the table.”
Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 before losing the final in 2022. The team has yet to win a round since, but has remained a constant threat the entire time. But the team has seen quite a few major roster changes the past few years – most notably, the departure of Steven Stamkos two summers ago.
With Darren Raddysh set for a big extension this summer, and Nikita Kucherov eligible for an extension this summer, big times are ahead for the Bolts moving forward.
“There wasn’t a lot of turnover in Year 1 and Year 2 between those two cup teams,” Brisebois said about the team’s evolution the past few years. “But after that, there was significant changeover. We’re looking for opportunities to have a pipeline of players, whether it’s via trades, free agents, organically develop players that can come in, step in, and play a role for many years to come.
“And the reality is when you’re building your puzzle, you have essentially – let’s call it 22 spots on a roster,” Brisebois continued. “And when I’m looking at my puzzle, it has every season going forward. So a player who can help me win for four years is more valuable than a player who can only help me for one year. So, when we have those young guys, and we can count on them for many years, they’re extremely valuable, and we’re trying to get as many of them into the fold as possible.”