The Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves with their backs against the wall during the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round series against the Florida Panthers. As the franchise navigates turbulent waters standing on the brink of elimination in the NHL, head coach Jon Cooper is considering a shocking move, according to reports.
Cooper has led the Lightning to consecutive Stanley Cup championships during the 2020 playoffs in the bubble and in the 2020-21 season. Tampa Bay reached another Final during the 2021-22 campaign, but fell to the Colorado Avalanche in 6 games.
The Lightning have established themselves as a powerhouse in the NHL under Cooper’s guidance. However, they’ve ran into early roadblocks early in the postseason in recent years. If Tampa is eliminated by Florida, it will be the franchise’s third first round exit in as many years.
Bad news could stack up for the Lightning, nevertheless. According to recent reports around the league, Cooper might be on his way out of the organization in Cigar City.
Clayton Keller #9 of the Utah Hockey Club walks to the ice for warm-up prior to a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on November 24, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jon Cooper is in conversations to become the new head coach for the Utah Hockey Club, as reported by The New York Post’s Larry Brooks.
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NHL News: Lightning HC Jon Cooper drops blunt admission after loss to Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand’s Panthers
Something new, something borrowed
The Utah Hockey Club is gearing up for a crucial 2025–26 season, one in which the second-year franchise will vie for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The youngest team in the NHL is expected to announce its new mascot name sometime during the offseason, with “Utah Mammoth” emerging as the frontrunner to succeed the Hockey Club moniker.
Moreover, the Hockey Club/Mammoth could be led by a brand new head coach—one who brings two Stanley Cups and a Four Nations Championship to his résumé.
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While Cooper won’t address the rumors until the season ends in Tampa—and hopefully for the Bolts and their fanbase, that won’t be anytime soon—another playoff elimination at the hands of their rivals from down south in Sunrise would be devastating.
