Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Head Coach Jon Cooper to Multi-Year Extension
The Lightning have signed head coach Jon Cooper to a multi-year contract extension, Tampa Bay announced Tuesday. Cooper has served as the team's head coach since March 2013.
During Cooper's tenure, the Lightning have eclipsed the 50-win mark three times and currently sit atop the Atlantic Division with 77 points on a 54–14–4 record.
"I am very pleased to announce Jon's extension today," Vice president and Julien BriseBois said in a statement. "His ability to forge impactful relationships with everyone from players to staff has been a trademark of his tenure with the organization and he is the absolute best coach for our hockey team. Coop's ability to develop a strong culture while continually adapting has been a big part of the team's success. He has helped set high standards for our organization with his unrelenting drive for excellence. I would like to thank Coop and his family for their continuous commitment to the organization, as well as to the Tampa Bay community, and I look forward to working in partnership with Jon for years to come."
Cooper is currently the NHL's longest tenured coach. With 301 wins during his time in Tampa Bay, he's also the franchise's all-time leader for wins.
The Lightning have appeared in three of the previous four Eastern conference finals and have played in the second most playoff games in the NHL since the 2014 season.
Cooper, 51, has compiled a 301–157–44 record as a head coach in the NHL. Before taking over in Tampa Bay, he spent three seasons in the AHL, two in the USHL and five in the NAHL.