TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Head coach Jon Cooper has signed a three-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced Monday.
“Unequivocally, Coop is the best person for the job,” said BriseBois. “He is a great leader, spokesperson and ambassador for our organization. We are lucky to have him as our head coach and I very much look forward to our continued partnership.”
Cooper became the Lightning’s ninth coach in 2013 and is now the longest tenured coach in the NHL. This year, he guided the Lightning to their second-consecutive Stanley Cup Championship with the Bolts beating Montreal 4-1 in the playoffs.
“It has been a tremendous honor to be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the past eight-plus seasons and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to build on what we have here,” Cooper said. “My family and I love the organization and being a part of the Tampa Bay community, it is our home. I’d like to extend a sincere thank you to Mr. Vinik, Julien, Steve Griggs, the rest of the coaching staff and all the players for making this one of the best jobs in the NHL.”
