Lightning’s Jon Cooper to return for 2025-26

Jon Cooper is sticking around Tampa Bay.

Following the Tampa Bay’s exit from the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs earlier this week, the Lightning held a media availability Friday. In part of his remarks to reporters, including Diandra Loux of The Hockey News, Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois confirmed that head coach Jon Cooper will return for the coming campaign.

The confirmation comes after reports surfaced earlier in the week that the Cooper could separate from the Lightning in order to pursue a new opportunity with the Utah Hockey Club.

Per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, Cooper is under contract with Tampa Bay for one more season.

Elevated to the top job in Tampa Bay late in the 2012-13 campaign, Cooper has since spent 13 seasons behind the Lightning bench, making him the longest-tenured NHL head coach. In the regular season, Cooper has put together a 572-306-83 record, with his 572 victories ranking 25th-best on the NHL’s all-time wins list. As part of that stretch, in 2018-19, the Lightning claimed the Presidents’ Trophy after putting together the league’s best regular season showing, totaling 128 points.

Cooper’s success has also translated to the postseason where the Lightning have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final on four occasions, highlighted by back-to-back championships coming in 2020 and 2021. The Lightning nearly made it three consecutive titles before falling to the Colorado Avalanche in six games in 2022. Of note, the Lightning have not won a postseason series since 2022.

Beyond the NHL, Cooper’s decorated resume also counts a Calder Cup championship with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals in 2012, a Clark Cup win with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in 2012, plus back-to-back championships with the NAHL’s St. Louis Bandits in 2007 and 2008. Earlier this year, Cooper also realized success in international competition after he guided Canada to a first-place finish at the 4 Nations Face-Off.