The 2022-23 season is Jon Cooper’s eleventh as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, making him the longest-tenured coach in the NHL. Cooper coached in his 700th career NHL game on Apr. 1, 2022, and the 426 wins he had recorded at the time of reaching the milestone are the most in NHL history among head coaches through their first 700 games.
When Did Jon Cooper Start Coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning?
Following the dismissal of head coach Guy Boucher, Jon Cooper was announced as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 25, 2013. In October 2021, the Lightning signed Cooper to a three-year contract extension through the 2024-25 season.
In the nine full seasons he has been at the helm (excluding the partial 2012-2013 season), the Lightning have only missed out on the playoffs once, in 2016-17.
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| SEASON | GAMES PLAYED | RECORD | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 15 | 4-8-3 | 11 |
| 2013-14 | 82 | 46-27-9 | 101 |
| 2014-15 | 82 | 50-24-8 | 108 |
| 2015-16 | 82 | 46-31-5 | 97 |
| 2016-17 | 82 | 42-30-10 | 94 |
| 2017-18 | 82 | 54-23-5 | 113 |
| 2018-19 | 82 | 62-16-4 | 128 |
| 2019-20 | 70 | 43-21-6 | 92 |
| 2020-21 | 56 | 36-17-3 | 75 |
| 2021-22 | 82 | 51-23-8 | 110 |
| 715 | 434-220-61 |
When Cooper signed his current three-year contract extension with the Lightning in October 2021, the financial details of the deal weren’t disclosed. However, he is rumored to be making between $3.5 million and $4 million per season through 2024-25.