Lightning’s Jon Cooper wins Jack Adams Award for first time

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper was honored with the Jack Adams Award on Wednesday, given to the NHL’s coach of the year.

It is the first time that the 58-year-old has won the award given “to the coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.” Members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association annually vote on the Jack Adams at the conclusion of the regular season.

Cooper had been a finalist on two other occasions: In 2014, when he finished behind Patrick Roy of the Colorado Avalanche and Mike Babcock of the Detroit Red Wings, and in 2019, when he was the runner-up to Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders.

The honor may be, in some ways, long overdue for the league’s longest-tenured head coach and one of its most respected and accomplished. Cooper has led the Lightning since 2013, when he took over for Guy Boucher during that lockout-shortened season.

In 14 years with Tampa Bay, Cooper has made the playoffs in all but two campaigns and won consecutive Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. He also took the Bolts to the Cup Final in 2015 and 2022. This season was one of Cooper’s finest efforts as he guided a Lightning team ravaged by injuries — particularly within their defense corps — to a 50-26-6 record and 106 points. The Bolts were forced to use 33 different skaters. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.

Cooper won out over Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres and Dan Muse of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ruff guided the Sabres to the Atlantic Division title — their first division crown since 2010 — as they ended a 15-year playoff absence. Muse led the Penguins to a surprise postseason appearance after Pittsburgh was thought to be in retooling mode and expected to place in the bottom tier of the league.