UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning have rewarded the head coach that has led them to the last two Stanley Cup tiles.
Jon Cooper gets a three-year extension through the 2024-25 season. He is the longest-current tenured head coach in the NHL, behind the bench with the Lightning since March 2013.
The team has made five Eastern Conference Final appearances under Cooper and has played in the Stanley Cup Final three times over the past seven seasons.
Elsewhere in the NHL:
The Blackhawks have brought back Erik Gustafsson, agreeing to a one-year, $800,000 contract with the free-agent defenseman. The return of Gustafsson bolsters the Blackhawks’ blue line after they lost young defensemen Caleb Jones and Wyatt Kalynuk to injuries. Gustafsson was released by the Islanders on Sunday after receiving a tryout.
—The Seattle Kraken are expected to be without five players for the season opener at Vegas due to COVID-19 protocols. Forwards Jared McCann, Joonas Donskoi and Marcus Johansson were placed on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list as was defenseman Jamie Oleksiak. Forward Calle Jarnkrok has been in the protocol since late last week.
