Lightning HC Jon Cooper sets the record straight on his future with Tampa Bay at Hall of Fame ceremony

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper addressed rumors regarding his future with the team during his induction into the Tampa Bay Hall of Fame.

During Wednesday night’s ceremony, the longtime Lightning coach took advantage of the opportunity to set the record straight about his future with the team.

Yahoo! Sports quoted the Bolts’ bench boss saying:

"Contrary to rumors and whatever is going on out there, I'm never leaving you guys."

The comments came on the heels of Jon Cooper thanking Tampa Bay fans for their ongoing support. In his remarks, he gave fans a shout-out:

“What's special about Tampa? This is what's special. This is what it is. It’s all of you. For me and my family, this is all I’ve ever known. This is all my kids have ever known.”

Jon Cooper joined the Lightning in 2013. During this tenure in South Florida, the Bolts made three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final, winning back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021.

The Bolts have also won four Eastern Conference championships while boasting some of this generation’s best players in Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman.

But after a third straight first-round exit this season – and the second five-game loss against the Florida Panthers in a row – chatter has picked up surrounding Jon Cooper’s tenure in Tampa Bay. However, there has been no indication that the club is looking to move on from Cooper or that Cooper is looking to leave.

Jon Cooper confirmed as Lightning coach next season

Jon Cooper is one of the most decorated coaches in NHL history - Source: Imagn

Rumors surrounding Jon Cooper’s tenure in Tampa Bay kicked into high gear following a report from Larry Brooks of the NY Post, suggesting that Cooper would be interested in taking over the bench boss role for the Utah Mammoth.

Nevertheless, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois was quick to pour cold water on the situation, declaring that John Cooper would be returning for the 2025-26 season. As Sportsnet reported in a May 2 piece, BriseBoise wanted to reassure fans and the media that Cooper wasn’t going anywhere.

The article cited insider Elliotte Friedman who suggested that Cooper was under contract for at least one more season in Tampa. If that’s the case, the Lightning will be looking to lock up their head coach this season.

Otherwise, the time may have come for both Cooper and the Lightning to move on from one another.

The Lightning remain a contender in the Eastern Conference. Plus, there doesn’t seem to be any indication that the Lightning are looking to rebuild despite a complex salary cap situation. The team still boasts two of the league’s best players in Kucherov and Hedman. So, another run at the Cup is certainly in the cards for the Bolts next season.