Jon Cooper Named Coach of Canada's Men's Olympic Hockey Team

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper has been named Team Canada's bench boss for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion coach will be joined by assistant coaches Bruce Cassidy, Peter DeBoer and Barry Trotz.

Cooper previously served as Canada's bench boss coach at the 2017 World Hockey Championship and assistant at the 2016 World Cup. 

“Under the leadership of Stanley Cup champion Jon Cooper, and with the contributions of this very skilled coaching staff, we are thrilled to have them lead us at the Olympics and represent our country with pride as they build a team that will compete for a gold medal," Hockey Canada's Tom Renney said.

When the NHL last sent players and personnel to the Olympics, Mike Babcock served as Canada's coach, with Ken Hitchcock, Claude Julien and Lindy Ruff acting as assistants. Canada's four fresh faces offers a new look for a team that's looking to win gold for the third time since 2010.

As it stands, the NHL has not confirmed it will allow players to participate in the Olympics - something that has been under further questioning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cooper is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL, entering his ninth season in charge of Tampa Bay.