(Green Bay, WI) – Former Green Bay Gamblers Head Coach/General Manager Jon Cooper added Lord Stanley to his already impressive resume on Monday (9/28), as the Tampa Bay Lightning captured the Stanley Cup. The Lightning clinched the cup with a 2-0 win over the Dallas Stars, winning the best of seven series 4-2. Cooper who is the longest-tenured head coach (with the same team) in the NHL, led the Gamblers to a pair of Anderson Cups (2009 & 2010) and a Clark Cup (2010).
Cooper is not the only member of the Lightning coaching staff with Gambler ties. Derek Lalonde, who coached three seasons in Green Bay (2011-14), leading the Gamblers to the Anderson and Clark Cups in 2012, is an assistant coach and Brian Garlock, who served as the Gamblers video coach (2008-10) for two seasons is the video coach. The Gamblers are also represented on the scouting side, as John Burkart, who served as the Gamblers Director of Scouting for three seasons (2008-11) is an amateur scout with the Lightning.
The story of Cooper has become well known. A former lacrosse standout at Hofstra University, Cooper worked on Wall Street and later earned his law degree. Cooper left his law practice in 2003 and focused full time on coaching. The Prince George, British Columbia native, coached at the Michigan High School level, Junior “B”, Midget AAA, NAHL, USHL and AHL, winning multiple championships along the way. Midway through the 2012-13 NHL season, Cooper got the call to be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lighting. With the Lightning, Cooper has posted a record of 348-180-50, and a Stanley Cup Playoffs record of 54-39.
“Jon Cooper is a winner through and through”, says Gamblers Director of Business Jeff Mitchell. “He has won a Silver Cup, Robertson Cup, Anderson Cup, Clark Cup, Calder Cup and now the Stanley Cup. Coop is living proof that dreams come true.”
Cooper, Lalonde, Garlock and Bukart join Ryan Carter (2007/Anaheim), Adam Burish (Chicago/2010) and Matt Greene (2012 & 2014/Los Angeles) as Gambler alumni who have won the Stanley Cup.
