Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Apologizes for Offensive Comments: “Father of 2 daughters says remarks have pained him more than playoff series loss”

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper found himself in hot water after making a controversial analogy following his team’s playoff series loss to the Florida Panthers. Cooper, who has been at the helm of the Lightning for 11 seasons, expressed frustration over two goaltender interference rulings that went against his team in the crucial Game 5 matchup.

In a post-game press conference, Cooper made a comment that sparked outrage among fans and critics alike. “We might as well put skirts on them then… I think we’re letting the goalies off the hook,” he said, referring to the disallowed goals that ultimately contributed to the Lightning’s defeat.

The insensitive remark drew swift backlash, prompting Cooper to issue a public apology during his end-of-season news conference. The veteran coach acknowledged the inappropriateness of his words and expressed regret for offending anyone, particularly as a father of two daughters who are involved in sports.

“It’s one of those moments if you could just reach back and grab the words back, I would’ve,” Cooper said. “Quite frankly, it was wrong and I’ve got to go and explain myself to my girls. … I sincerely apologize to all I offended. It’s pained me more than the actual series loss itself.”

Despite the controversy, Cooper’s track record with the Lightning speaks for itself. Under his guidance, the team has made the playoffs in 10 out of 11 seasons and secured back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021. As he looks ahead to the future, Cooper will undoubtedly strive to learn from this incident and continue leading his team to success on the ice.