Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper is the NHL’s longest-tenured coach, having been hired in March of 2013.
The 58-year-old won his first Jack Adams Award this year as the league’s top coach, but Cooper didn’t need a trophy (other than the Stanley Cup) to prove himself as one of the best behind the bench. His longevity is an indication that he not only is a great coach now, but that he’s constantly adjusting and adapting.
In TheHockeyNews.com’s ranking of NHL coaches, we’re placing Cooper as the NHL’s No. 1 coach. Our ranking criteria focus on each coach’s expectations, reputation, and long- and short-term impact.
Cooper has two Cups to his credit and a 4 Nations Face-Off gold medal with Team Canada. All Cooper is lacking is an Olympic gold medal (though he did win silver in the 2026 Olympics) and an IIHF World Championship.
And the reason he doesn’t have a World Championship gold is that the tournament occurs during the NHL playoffs – and Cooper’s Lightning are always tied up with playing in the playoffs.
Cooper’s resume speaks for itself, and he deserves the top spot in this ranking.
1. JON COOPER, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
It isn’t just Cooper’s coaching skills that make him the best in the world. What makes him the best is his ability to take any lineup Lightning GM Julien BriseBois gives him and turn it into a dangerous group that could run the table and win Cooper’s third Cup.
Indeed, the Lightning have made the playoffs in 12 of 13 full seasons with Cooper serving as Tampa’s coach – and in six of those seasons, the Lightning have made it to the conference final.
And in 11 of 12 seasons, the Lightning have finished between first and third in their division. It doesn’t get more impressive than that. That consistency is a credit to Cooper and his calm-but-determined approach that rubs off on his players.
Now, a critic of Cooper might tell you that, in the past four seasons, the Lightning have lost in the first round of the playoffs. But in the modern-day NHL, the parity of the league makes it extremely difficult for even the best coaches to overcome their opposition and win championships consistently. But let’s look at Cooper’s record as an example of his talent.
In 1,043 regular-season games, Cooper has built a record of 622-332-89, and he now sits in 27th place in the NHL’s all-time list of games coached. Cooper will climb a couple places in that list this season, but Cooper has time on his side as he continues making his mark on the game.
Cooper has nothing to fear regarding his job security in Tampa, and the Lightning have restocked their roster as they try to stay competitive in the Atlantic Division. Cooper’s longevity is something to marvel at, especially when you consider how fast the coaching carousel spins nowadays.
Cooper is well on his way to eventual entry in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but he’s not finished yet. Until someone has at least as much success as Cooper, we’re going to put Cooper at the top of any ranking of NHL coaches.
NHL COACH RANKINGS
1. Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay
2. Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina
3. Paul Maurice, Florida
4. Jared Bednar, Colorado
5. Joel Quenneville, Anaheim
6. Mike Sullivan, NY Rangers
7. Martin St-Louis, Montreal
8. Rick Tocchet, Philadelphia
9. Spencer Carbery, Washington
10. Peter DeBoer, NY Islanders
11. John Hynes, Minnesota
12. Lindy Ruff, Buffalo
13. Dan Muse, Pittsburgh
14. Rick Bowness, Columbus
15. Peter Laviolette, Los Angeles
16. Jim Montgomery, St. Louis
17. Todd McLellan, Detroit
18. Marco Sturm, Boston
19. Sheldon Keefe, New Jersey
20. Scott Arniel, Winnipeg
21. Travis Green, Ottawa
22. Glen Gulutzan, Dallas
23. Andre Tourigny, Utah
24. Jim Hiller, Toronto
25. Ryan Warsofsky, San Jose
26. Manny Malhotra, Vancouver
27. Ryan Huska, Calgary
28. Mike Babcock, Edmonton
29. Andrew Brunette, Nashville
30. Ryan Craig, Vegas
31. Lane Lambert, Seattle
32. Jeff Blashill, Chicago