Jon Cooper finally captured the Jack Adams Award after 14 seasons at the helm of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 58‑year‑old guided the club to a third‑place finish in the Eastern Conference with 106 points, despite missing stars Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh and Brayden Point for extended stretches. The Lightning secured their ninth straight playoff berth before falling to Montreal in the opening round.

Cooper joins John Tortorella as the only Lightning coaches to win the honor, the latter earning it in 2004. He was a finalist three times before finally breaking through, and his résumé now includes two Stanley Cups, two additional Finals trips and a recent stint as head coach of Canada’s Olympic silver‑medal men’s team. His .639 points‑percentage ranks second among active coaches, trailing only Rod Brind’Amour.

The award ceremony took place at Tampa General Hospital, where the league highlighted the Lightning’s “Coop’s Catch for Kids” lounge supporting pediatric cancer families. Cooper’s win cements his status as one of the game’s most successful active coaches; he sits seventh in career victories with 622 and became the second‑fastest to reach 600 wins after a 5‑1 triumph over Philadelphia on Jan. 12.