Jon Cooper, head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is reportedly the front-runner to manage Team Canada in the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Milan Olympics, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Following the Stanley Cup Final, an announcement about the head coaching position is anticipated, according to LeBrun.
Coach Cooper had previously served as head coach of Team Canada in 2017 during the IIHF World Championships in Germany and France, therefore if selected, he would be making his second appearance for Team Canada. Despite losing to Team Sweden’s Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman in the final, he guided Brayden Point and Alex Killorn to a silver medal. At the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the two-time Stanley Cup winning coach oversaw the exciting but brief Team North America, which consisted of young players from several nations. Coach Cooper was set to make his Olympic coaching debut in the 2021 Beijing games, but Claude Julien was appointed to the position after the NHL withdrew their support over COVID fears.
Given that Team Canada’s general managers—Don Sweeny for the Four Nations tournament and Doug Armstrong for the Olympics—are separate individuals, LeBrun did note that it was somewhat rare for Canada to announce the same coach for both events. But with Coach Cooper’s background, it’s hard to imagine a better match, and it would provide some consistency to the games for the teams, who should essentially consist of the same players. The general managers will have the last say in roster decisions, but Coach Cooper will likely have some say as well (get Stamkos to the Olympics, already!).
Since training camps are typically held during breaks in the NHL calendar, his situation with the Lightning will not be affected by his commitments. His current streak of 879 games coached should continue unabated during the league’s break for both tournaments. His 2010 stint as an assistant coach for Team USA made him the first head coach of the Lightning to also serve as a national team captain.
