CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — If NHL players are part of next year’s Beijing Olympics, Canada will have a two-time Stanley Cup champion behind its bench.
Hockey Canada has announced Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper as the head of its provisional Olympic coaching staff. Three NHL head coaches — Boston’s Bruce Cassidy, Vegas’ Peter DeBoer and the New York Islanders’ Barry Trotz were named assistants.
Cooper, who is from Prince George, British Columbia, led the Lightning to their second straight Stanley Cup title last month when they defeated the Montreal Canadiens in five games.
He previously served as head coach of Team Canada at the 2017 IIHF World Championship, winning a silver medal.