Hockey Patrol has no direct affiliation to the Toronto Maple Leafs, NHL or NHLPA

Jon Cooper temporarily steps away from Lightning and will miss game vs. Maple Leafs


PUBLICATION
Charlie McAfee
February 25, 2026  (10:57)
SHARE THIS STORY

Feb 20, 2026; Milan, Italy; Jon Cooper of Canada looks on after the game against Finland in a men's ice hockey semifinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Photo credit: James Lang-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper won't be behind the bench vs. Toronto on Wednesday as he steps away to tend to a personal matter.

On Wednesday, David Pagnotta reported that Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper would not be behind the bench when they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs as he steps away to deal with a personal matter:
Jon Cooper won't be behind the bench tonight for the #GoBolts when they take on the #LeafsForever. He has temporarily left the club to attend to a personal matter. We wish him and his family all the best. A formal announcement is expected shortly.
There is no indication of the reason behind it, but a formal announcement from the Lightning is expected.
However, Benjamin Pierce; who is the beat writer and manager of media relations for the Lightning revealed this was due to the passing of Cooper's father:
The Lightning announce Head Coach Jon Cooper will not be behind the #GoBolts bench tonight or tomorrow due to the passing of his father.

Thoughts go out to Coop and his family.
If this happened during the Olympics, you would have never known Cooper was dealing with anything as he coached Team Canada with passion and grace.
There is no timeframe for how long Cooper will remain out, but it's clear the team is going to give him more than enough time to rest and focus on his family before eventually making his way back into the fold.
We here at Hockey Patrol would like to offer our condolences and best wishes to Jon Cooper and his family as they navigate through this difficult time.
POLL
9 HOURS AGO|1 ANSWERS
Jon Cooper temporarily steps away from Lightning and will miss game vs. Maple Leafs

Best wishes to Jon Cooper and his family


HOCKEY PATROL
COPYRIGHT @2026 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TERMS OF SERVICE - PRIVACY POLICY - COOKIE POLICY
RSS FEED - SITEMAP - ROBOTS.TXT