When Jon Cooper first faced his Lightning squad ten years ago, he had to deliver one of his hardest speeches to them. This historic event happened when the team won after head coach Guy Boucher was fired. Cooper came that afternoon and watched the game from a suite. Cooper had just finished leading the team’s AHL affiliate Norfolk to a Calder Cup victory the season before.
In an attempt to defuse the tension, assistant general manager Julien Brisebois highlighted the enhancements to the NHL’s general amenities, food, and travel. But as Cooper got closer to Amalie Arena, the gravity of the situation hit home.
During the relatively uneventful pregame news conference, Cooper stated that he wanted his club to be a cross between the tough Flyers of the 1970s and the fast-moving Oilers of the 1980s. However, Cooper was most nervous about the postgame meeting with the players.
The locker room was crowded with personnel from training, operations, and equipment as well as athletes in various states of attire. Even though Cooper has given inaugural remarks on several occasions during his coaching tenure, this one seemed quite different. These were no unskilled youth; among them were future icons like Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman, as well as well-known talents like Martin St. Louis and captain Vinny Lecavalier.
Cooper was presented by General Manager Steve Yzerman, indicating a change in the team’s leadership. There was a tangible sense of urgency in the air as Cooper got ready to speak to the group, knowing that his words would determine the team’s fate.
