NHL News: Jon Cooper, Lightning reportedly having second thoughts as 2x Stanley Cup champ could be on the move once again

The Tampa Bay Lightning are determined to take action after falling in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight NHL season. It might be time to move on from key veterans, and a two-time champion is reportedly in the crosshairs of Jon Cooper and company.

Once poised to be a modern-day NHL dynasty, the Lightning have come to terms with a troubling truth: Tampa Bay must evolve and adapt in order to survive in an ever-changing environment.

The East is packed with contenders — and, most importantly, it’s home to the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. The Sunrise-based organization is now terrorizing the league, and their cross-state rivals in Tampa are eager to answer right back.

Parting ways?

Throughout his coaching career, Cooper has shown he isn’t afraid of making bold moves and the Bolts’ front office will back his every decision. On that note, two-time Stanley Cup champion, Ryan McDonagh, has been a name swirling around in trade rumors around the NHL.

Ryan McDonagh #27 of the Tampa Bay Lightning waits for a faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period in an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on January 20, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

“The Lightning traded [defenseman Ryan McDonagh away once, back in 2022 and he may end up being on the move again,” insider Nick Kypreos said about the 36-year-old blueliner’s future, per Sportsnet.

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Lightning doesn’t strike twice

McDonagh initially arrived in The Big Guava in 2018, after being traded from the New York Rangers. He had a career year during his first full season in Tampa, recording 46 points (9 goals and 37 assists). That season, the Bolts won the Presidents’ Trophy for their amazing regular season, but were shockignly swept by the league’s lowest-seeded wildcard, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Cooper, McDonagh and company definitely learned their lesson. They would go on to hoist back-to-back Stanley Cups and reach three straight Cup Finals. After losing to the Colorado Avalanche in the 2022 Final, McDonagh was traded to the Nashville Predators, where he played two seasons.

McDonagh returned to the Lightning via trade in 2024, and he is now entering the final season of his seven-year, $47.25M extension. But, the Lightning might be second-guessing their decision to re-acquire the blueliner. Now, whether McDonagh finishes his contract in Tampa or Cooper and the Bolts move him remains a mystery.