The Tampa Bay Lightning return from the Olympic break on Wednesday night, hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Multiple players and coaches have returned from Milan and are set to resume the NHL season, which includes Lightning and Team Canada's coach Jon Cooper.
Now, it has been announced by the club that Cooper will be away from the team for the next two games due to the death of his father.
Cooper was born in Prince George, British Columbia, in Canada, before going to high school in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. He played both hockey and lacrosse in high school before attending Hofstra University, continuing his lacrosse career. Prior to entering coaching, he was a lawyer for five years.
He took his first coaching job with Lansing Catholic High School and would coach at the junior ranks until being hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning to coach the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the franchise. He coached two seasons in Norfolk, winning the Calder Cup in 2011-12. Cooper continued with the franchise with the Lightning, who changed AHL affiliations for 2012-13 to the Syracuse Crunch. Cooper did not finish that season, being promoted to become the head coach of the NHL club.
He has since coached 1,061 games in the regular season with the Lightning, having a record of 609-320-87. Further, he has led Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup Final four times, winning it all twice, in 2020 and 2021.
Cooper has also been the coach for Team Canada, leading them to a championship at the 4 Nations Face-Off and a silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The franchise has yet to name who will be the filling in as head coach on Wednesday night, but Jeff Halpern and Dan Hinote are options.
The Lightning are 37-14-4 on the year, sitting in first in the Atlantic Division. After playing against the Maple Leafs on Wednesday night, they will travel to play the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. Cooper is expected back for their Saturday game at home against the Buffalo Sabres.
