Jon Cooper Credits Process as Bolts Return to Postseason

Playoffs were among the topics du jour bandied about on Saturday, as the Tampa Bay Lightning advanced to the postseason, even before beating Boston 3-1 at Benchmark International Arena. 

This season continues one of the NHL’s most impressive runs of consistency, and the Lightning fans need to have a tremendous amount of appreciation for what this franchise has achieved over the past decade, as well as this season.

Tampa Bay has officially qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, a streak currently matched only by the Colorado Avalanche.

Despite facing significant adversity, the Lightning (48-22-6) sit atop the Atlantic Division with 102 points, narrowly ahead of the Montreal Canadiens (100 points) and the Buffalo Sabres (100 points).

Over the course of the season, Tampa Bay has battled injuries to 16 regular players, with absences ranging from seven to 43 games. Still, the team has maintained its identity as a contender — a hallmark of a group that has already captured two Stanley Cup titles (2020, 2021) and reached another Final in the past six seasons.

Coach Jon Cooper credited the team’s resilience and commitment to its process for overcoming early-season struggles.

“For me to be sitting up here right now… it seemed distant,” Cooper said. “But that’s where the process over outcome comes in. We didn’t get the outcomes we wanted early on, but this group is special.”

Cooper emphasized the team’s adaptability and maturity, noting that players have effectively adopted defined roles and adjusted as necessary.

“They test what doesn’t work and come back and say, ‘Okay, you’re right, maybe we should do it this way,’” he said. “Everybody knows what they’re doing and what we have to do to succeed.”

That clarity has translated into results across all facets of the game. Tampa Bay has produced offensively, remained strong defensively, and delivered in key moments on special teams. The Lightning have also relied on timely goaltending and the ability to win in multiple ways — whether through scoring, defense, or physical play.

“We’ve scored a bunch of goals. We play great defensively. If we’ve had to fight, we fight,” Cooper said. “We can play this game a whole lot of different ways.”

The Lightning have played – significantly, at that – a number of players who, in September, could not have envisioned the roles that ultimately evolved. 

Defenseman Darren Raddysh has averaged nearly 23 minutes each night.

Defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous didn’t even feel with any degree of certainty that he would be in the NHL this season, and today he plays nearly 19 minutes per game, and has another year on a revamped contract. 

Both Raddysh and D’Astous showed their value on Saturday with goals to tie the game from a 2-0 deficit.

Young forward Dominic James (43 games), and defensemen Declan Carlisle (38 games) and Max Crozier (34 games), each of whom are currently injured, played very well earlier this season to keep the Lightning in the mix for a playoff spot while veterans were out (and still are).

Now, with six regular-season games remaining, the focus shifts toward maintaining momentum heading into the playoffs.

Tampa Bay fans possess an amount of cynicism towards the postseason following three consecutive first-round exits in recent springs. That is understandable. However, given the adversity that this team has faced, coupled with the continued elite-level of scouting, coaching, and player development done by this organization, in creating the depth and talent to keep this franchise in this position for years to come, the leadership of this club deserves the fans’ gratitude. 

“It’s been a pleasure to coach these guys,” Cooper said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do in the playoffs.”