Jon Cooper, who began his coaching journey in Lansing, Michigan, has been crowned the NHL’s coach of the year for the 2025‑26 season, earning the Jack Adams Award after three previous nominations.
The Jack Adams Award
The Tampa Bay Lightning posted a 50‑26‑6 record and accumulated 106 points, the best performance of Cooper’s tenure, and his 13th season makes him the league’s longest‑tenured active head coach.
He reached the 1,000‑game milestone on December 31 and recorded his 600th career win on January 12, underscoring his durability and impact over more than a decade.
Beyond the Lightning, Cooper guided Canada to a silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, a feat achieved while coping with the death of his father, Robert, earlier in the season.
His path to the top includes early coaching at Lansing Catholic Central, a regional title with the Cougars, a national junior championship with the Metro Jets, and leadership of the AHL affiliate in Norfolk, Virginia before returning to the NHL.
The award caps a career that began in the courtroom as a public defender, a transition that has defined his relentless work ethic and strategic vision on the ice.