Cooper’s Blue-Collar Climb Lands Him Hockey’s Top Bench Honor

Jon Cooper has spent years building a reputation as one of the NHL’s sharpest coaches, and now the league has put a bow on it. The twist is the kind of detail that gives this sport its flavor - the guy once coached high school hockey in Lansing before climbing all the way to the top of the profession. That backstory matters because NHL front offices and players alike respect coaches who have paid every possible dues check.