The Tampa Bay Lightning franchise and its fans have become accustomed to success. For seven straight seasons, the team has qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. During that span, the Lightning boast a 60-40 record, two Stanley Cup championships, and three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances. Losing simply has not been a factor in the organization’s formula. Every defeat over the past seven years was a stepping stone toward the inevitable championships awaiting.
Any Lightning fan who followed the team closely this season would tell you that it felt different. Now, the inevitable weight of an ending dynasty seems to be nipping at the heels of the organization like a persistent dog chasing the mailman down the street. That same dog has caught every mailman he has set his eyes on, whether he chases in Pittsburgh, Chicago, or Los Angeles, it does not matter. His sights are now set on Tampa Bay, and he has tasted a piece of the organization’s pants leg. But he wants more, and general manager Julien BriseBois knows it.
BriseBois is not ready to concede just yet though. His comments and moves since the Florida Panthers eliminated the Lightning in April indicate that he believes his team can hoist one more Stanley Cup before that pesky dog catches their leg and does not let go. Jon Cooper remains the man for the job, as BriseBois reiterated his faith in the head coach after elimination. Ryan McDonagh rejoins the team to bolster a shallow, inconsistent defensive unit. And Steven Stamkos’ contract looms heavily over any decisions made this summer, perhaps proving to be the decisive piece for the organization’s future.
In Jon Cooper We Trust
The NHL is competitive. That competitiveness reaches the highest levels in each franchise. When teams lose, head coaches often answer for the failure. The ground under their feet is ever-shifting. Nineteen head coaches have been relieved of their duties since the end of the 2022-23 season. No one is safe.
Almost no one, that is.
Cooper refuses to put his quarter in the carousel machine that other coaches have ridden. He is the longest-tenured NHL coach having led the Lightning for 12 seasons. His resume speaks for itself, and I discussed it at length in my piece arguing why he should lead Team Canada at the next Olympics. But Cooper’s success stems from more than his knowledge of X’s and O’s.
In his exit interview, BriseBois spoke to Cooper’s character off the ice and credited his success and long tenure to his “leadership skills” and “emotional intelligence.”
Like all the great coaches, it starts with leadership skills. Really high on leadership skills. Really high emotional intelligence. Never gets too high. Never gets too low. I think that allows him to weather the storms because there are storms. Coop, again this year, did a fabulous job. I love our coaching staff and love working with him. I feel privileged to be able to continue to work with him. I feel privileged to have been able to work with him the past 14 years going back to our Norfolk days. He’s a special coach and he’s the best guy for the job.
BriseBois’ vote of confidence could not be any stronger than that. No one blames Cooper for the Lightning’s early playoff departure. However, after years of consistent success in Tampa Bay, many take for granted what a special coach Cooper is. BriseBois’ comments hone in on exactly what underlies Cooper’s success, particularly his emotional intelligence.
If you are not familiar with emotional intelligence, it is a fascinating concept that more leaders across all domains are taking notice of. It is defined as “the ability to recognize, understand, and deal skillfully with one’s own emotions and the emotions of others.” Put as a question: Can you manage your own emotions and empathize with others?
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It is evident how that skill would allow you to flourish as an NHL head coach. Your players all have unique personalities and skill sets. Certain actions or sayings may motivate one while simultaneously discouraging another. If you can understand each player and speak directly to him, you will help him reach his highest level and every single person in the locker room will understand his place on that team.
This is what players mean when they say the entire locker room has “bought in.” It’s the job of the head coach to achieve that buy-in from players and all other people under his management. After 12 seasons, Cooper has proven that he is one of the best at accomplishing this. His boss, BriseBois, recognizes it, and his players consistently reiterate it.
We may not be surprised by BriseBois’ comments. We know Cooper is a remarkable coach. BriseBois’ remarks do, however, indicate that he has nothing but confidence that his head coach can lead the Lightning to another Stanley Cup victory.
McDonagh Reinforces Defensive Corps
As important as the head coach is, he cannot hop over the boards and physically execute the strategy he devises. Obviously, that is the job of the players (hence the name). A group of players that struggled this season for the Lightning was the defensemen. Injuries and a lack of depth plagued the team. The defensive core has never been the same since the last Stanley Cup victory in 2021, after which the team lost many instrumental players to the salary cap.
McDonagh was one of those players.
In both Stanley Cup runs, McDonagh was a staple on the Lightning blue line. During the 2020 postseason, he averaged more than 24 minutes of ice time per game, second only to Victor Hedman. He registered 46 blocks and 60 hits. Then, he followed up that performance with nearly 23 minutes of ice time, 46 blocks, and 53 hits in the 2021 Playoffs. These numbers are not flashy like goals and assists, but they are crucial for any team with Stanley Cup aspirations. When McDonagh left Tampa Bay, he left a hole that could not be filled, though not for a lack of effort.
What better way to fill that McDonagh-sized hole than by bringing back McDonagh himself? That at least was BriseBois’ thinking when he traded for McDonagh in May.
“Now, we have a top four of Hedman, [Mikhail] Sergachev, McDonagh, and [Erik] Cernak eating up a huge chunk of our minutes, a huge chunk of our special team minutes. They’re all big. They can all skate. For most of the night, we have high-end defensemen on the ice wearing the right jersey … I also think having Ryan on our team is going to make the other players better as well,” said BriseBois.
It is difficult to argue with BriseBois’ reasoning. Surrendering a second-round and seventh-round pick is a relatively low price to pay for a move with enormous potential. McDonagh will contribute practically without a doubt, but he also brings experience and leadership skills to a locker room already stacked with veterans. We know he is a fit because he has played and won in Tampa before, so there is no fear of “too many cooks in the kitchen.” We also know that BriseBois places immense value on these intangibles as his praise of Cooper revealed.
In every way, bringing McDonagh home makes sense. BriseBois’ trade proves that he will not let the window of opportunity close in Tampa Bay, even if he has to hold it open with his own two hands.
Stamkos’ Contract Is the Final Piece
The most important piece of this puzzle is Stamkos. The Lightning captain will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Much ink has been spilled on how he wants to stay in Tampa Bay and how BriseBois wants to keep him (from ‘Making Steven Stamkos a career Bolt is Lightning’s top offseason priority,’ Tampa Bay Times, May 1, 2024). Making that a reality will take maneuvering, and reacquiring McDonagh certainly raised questions about how the Lightning can afford Stamkos. BriseBois quelled those concerns. Nonetheless, all will rest easier when the deal materializes.
Stamkos’ part in another Stanley Cup championship cannot be overstated. At 34, he notched five goals in five games against the Panthers in Round 1. He finished the regular season with 40 goals and 41 assists, and there are few reasons to believe he will slow down next season. Aside from Stamkos’ scoring value, his importance to the franchise and leadership on the team make him arguably the crux of another Stanley Cup run. Those characteristics cannot be easily replaced (e.g., McDonagh).
BriseBois knows this. That is why he remains adamant in his pursuit to re-sign Stamkos. He cannot afford to lose the greatest Bolt in franchise history. His recognition of that fact further proves he wants to hoist Lord Stanley one more time.
Is Another Championship Possible?
Whether or not these three factors—Cooper, McDonagh, and Stamkos—are enough to guide the Lightning to that elusive, dynastic third Stanley Cup is another question. Of course, countless factors contribute to that equation working out in the Lightning’s favor. At the very least though, it is reassuring and exciting to see BriseBois’ confidence.
