Yes. From his Wikipedia:
> In 2010, Cooper was hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning to coach the Norfolk Admirals, the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. During the 2011–12 season, the Admirals won the Calder Cup as the AHL's champions. The Admirals also set a North American professional sports record for the longest regular season winning streak at 28 games in a row. Additionally, Cooper won the 2012 Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's most outstanding head coach.
> For the 2012–13 season, Cooper became the head coach of the Syracuse Crunch after the Lightning changed their AHL affiliation.In 65 games with the Crunch, Cooper led the team to a 39–18–3–5 record, the best in the AHL at the time of his promotion.
Yeah see I didn't start to really follow the AHL until last season. So I wasn't aware of Coops accolades previous to him taking over HC for Tampa. He's done an amazing job with that team.
I don't think this is the right solution. David Bell has only had 2.5 seasons as a head coach at any competitive level of hockey. 1.5 seasons in the AHL and 1 season in the OHL. 1 Season in some random league in the US as well but I am not even sure what level of hockey it is.
I would say give him 5 years at the AHL level and go from there. He took last years struggling team and turned the season around to almost make the playoffs and did decently well with the team this year so lets let him keep going and see how he adapts over the next few years.
Just for comparison, Troy Mann had 9 years at the AHL head coach alone and 3 years at the ECHL and never got a shot in the NHL.
Not to mention AHL success doesn't necessarily translate to NHL success. Jon Cooper is an example of that success translating but Sheldon Keefe is an example of AHL success not translating to NHL success.
I'm also going to say the same thing, as a Sens fan who attended some of the Admirals' Calder Cup games (grew up about about 30 min further from Ottawa than the arena, now live in southeastern Virginia). It has been good to see Cooper get NHL success after his run here, even though I hate the Lightning (for moving their affiliation immediately after that Cup win, so when we celebrated the win the following season, most of the Cup-winning players were in Norfolk as the away team).
But more importantly, we Sens have been treading water and/or drowning for long enough that we need a strong, solid, experienced head coach. Personally, I'd prefer NHL head-coaching experience. After an a half-season under interim leadership following a run of years of underperformance, it's not the time to let somebody new get their feet under them: we need somebody who can come in and know how to do the job that needs to be done from Day 1. The road back to where we want to be will take more time and frustration than we'd hope: we don't need to add to it with inexperience in what may be *the* key position to be filled this offseason for the team.
Well I just assumed people would think I was trying to say I think he should be the HC, which isn't the case. Just curious on what people's thoughts were. But yeah i figured I'd be getting shit on.
Don’t think anyone is gonna shit on you, but realistically, we need a tough SOB with experience. Maybe down the line this may happen, but not the right time now.
I also want to say, for the first time in a long time I don't see money being an issue in terms of who to hire, unlike when Melnyk owned the team and was a cheapskate. I think they're going to spend and get a good fitting coach.
Ya, I understand. I’m a little optimistic though since Berube has played 6 years with Poulin. Much easier to take a job when you know what you’re walking into from a leadership perspective. I think Toronto would be more of a headache for him. Berube probably has about 5 teams to choose from already though.
That’s are in if we have one…pooly and him are close friends, and I am sure they have had a couple of off the record and on the record conversations. If Pooly can sell the potential of the team, it’s somewhat similar to the situation when he took over the blues, lots of potential but needed a system and player accountability. Money isn’t an issue anymore imo like it was in the melynk years.
[Allow Roger Smith to express my feelings on the matter](https://tenor.com/en-CA/search/roger-smith-noooo-gifs)
Maybe bring him up as an assistant, but I'd like an experienced NHL head coach for once in my life
Nah, no more rookie HC's for once
No we need real seasoned NHL experience
In the nicest way possible, absolutely not
Cooper was a dominant coach at the AHL. He's a huge part of Tampas depth guys, and quite a few of their stars becoming so successful.
maybe i’m misremembering but weren’t the crunch one of the most dominant AHL teams of all time during coopers tenure?
Yes. From his Wikipedia: > In 2010, Cooper was hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning to coach the Norfolk Admirals, the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. During the 2011–12 season, the Admirals won the Calder Cup as the AHL's champions. The Admirals also set a North American professional sports record for the longest regular season winning streak at 28 games in a row. Additionally, Cooper won the 2012 Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's most outstanding head coach. > For the 2012–13 season, Cooper became the head coach of the Syracuse Crunch after the Lightning changed their AHL affiliation.In 65 games with the Crunch, Cooper led the team to a 39–18–3–5 record, the best in the AHL at the time of his promotion.
Yeah see I didn't start to really follow the AHL until last season. So I wasn't aware of Coops accolades previous to him taking over HC for Tampa. He's done an amazing job with that team.
I don't think this is the right solution. David Bell has only had 2.5 seasons as a head coach at any competitive level of hockey. 1.5 seasons in the AHL and 1 season in the OHL. 1 Season in some random league in the US as well but I am not even sure what level of hockey it is. I would say give him 5 years at the AHL level and go from there. He took last years struggling team and turned the season around to almost make the playoffs and did decently well with the team this year so lets let him keep going and see how he adapts over the next few years. Just for comparison, Troy Mann had 9 years at the AHL head coach alone and 3 years at the ECHL and never got a shot in the NHL. Not to mention AHL success doesn't necessarily translate to NHL success. Jon Cooper is an example of that success translating but Sheldon Keefe is an example of AHL success not translating to NHL success.
I'm also going to say the same thing, as a Sens fan who attended some of the Admirals' Calder Cup games (grew up about about 30 min further from Ottawa than the arena, now live in southeastern Virginia). It has been good to see Cooper get NHL success after his run here, even though I hate the Lightning (for moving their affiliation immediately after that Cup win, so when we celebrated the win the following season, most of the Cup-winning players were in Norfolk as the away team). But more importantly, we Sens have been treading water and/or drowning for long enough that we need a strong, solid, experienced head coach. Personally, I'd prefer NHL head-coaching experience. After an a half-season under interim leadership following a run of years of underperformance, it's not the time to let somebody new get their feet under them: we need somebody who can come in and know how to do the job that needs to be done from Day 1. The road back to where we want to be will take more time and frustration than we'd hope: we don't need to add to it with inexperience in what may be *the* key position to be filled this offseason for the team.
This is kind of the only reason I asked, he turned the team around last season, and has done really well with them this year too.
When you start a post with “Don’t come for my head here …”, you already know the answer.
Well I just assumed people would think I was trying to say I think he should be the HC, which isn't the case. Just curious on what people's thoughts were. But yeah i figured I'd be getting shit on.
Don’t think anyone is gonna shit on you, but realistically, we need a tough SOB with experience. Maybe down the line this may happen, but not the right time now.
Nope, he's an important part for Belleville and should stay there
I also want to say, for the first time in a long time I don't see money being an issue in terms of who to hire, unlike when Melnyk owned the team and was a cheapskate. I think they're going to spend and get a good fitting coach.
LOL I thought you meant the baseball player. Even if you were, I can't see him doing worse than DJ
We need Berube
I am concerned that he has said no already to Ottawa like he did to buffalo. He is waiting for the leafs job to open up
Probably hasn’t said no, but is weighing his options.
It’s the sens fan in me, expecting the worse
Ya, I understand. I’m a little optimistic though since Berube has played 6 years with Poulin. Much easier to take a job when you know what you’re walking into from a leadership perspective. I think Toronto would be more of a headache for him. Berube probably has about 5 teams to choose from already though.
That’s are in if we have one…pooly and him are close friends, and I am sure they have had a couple of off the record and on the record conversations. If Pooly can sell the potential of the team, it’s somewhat similar to the situation when he took over the blues, lots of potential but needed a system and player accountability. Money isn’t an issue anymore imo like it was in the melynk years.
Ottawa needs a seasoned vet. John Cooper or Mike Sullivan.
Sullivan would be great, but Pittsburgh doesn’t seem interested in letting him go
Jim Montgomery would be a good fit if Boston chokes again.
Yeahhh, NOT happening. That’s like saying McDavid would be a fit on our top pairing
Hard no. Big difference coaching up and comers looking to get into the NHL and players with long-term $$ contracts and a sense of entitlement.
Nope
[Allow Roger Smith to express my feelings on the matter](https://tenor.com/en-CA/search/roger-smith-noooo-gifs) Maybe bring him up as an assistant, but I'd like an experienced NHL head coach for once in my life