Lightning sign Jon Cooper to contract extension
If not the Stanley Cup or Jack Adams, a reward had to be in store for Jon Cooper given his efforts behind the Tampa Bay Lightning’s incredible season.
And he secured that Tuesday.
The Lightning announced that they have signed the longest-tenured coach in the NHL to a multi-year contract extension.
Cooper’s rapid ascent in the NHL coaching landscape began the moment he earned his promotion from the American Hockey League. In six seasons at the helm, he’s accumulated the most coaching wins in franchise history and maintained a .643 winning percentage.
While he’s led the Lightning to a Stanley Cup Final and three conference final appearances, Cooper’s work this season might be considered his finest. Tampa Bay flirted with a record points pace at times throughout the year and will finish with one of the highest totals in league history.
In what’s been a historic season, the Lightning became the second-fastest team to secure the Presidents’ Trophy and could finish 20-plus points clear of any other team in the final standings.
Incredibly, Cooper was without security beyond this season and coached on the final year of his existing contract into late March. While there was little doubt that the Lightning would want to continue the partnership, and vice versa, perhaps waiting until this point allowed Cooper to climb a few rungs higher on the coaches’ money list.
Barry Trotz earned the opportunity to do just that last summer when he signed a big-money contract with the New York Islanders after leading the Washington Capitals to the first Stanley Cup in their franchise history.
Difference being, the Capitals weren’t willing to invest another dollar into Trotz until he led them on their championship run.
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