The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Turning Point: Can HC Cooper Keep the Bolts Afloat?
As the 2025 NHL season unfolds, the Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves at a crossroads. Head coach Jon Cooper—affectionately known as “Coop”—remains one of the most respected minds in hockey. His ability to make adjustments and maximize the talent he’s given is unmatched. Over his tenure in Tampa, he’s consistently proven that patience and tactical refinement pay off, often taking 10 to 15 games to fully dial in his roster. But this season feels different. The question lingering in the minds of fans and analysts alike: Has the Lightning’s championship window finally closed?
Cooper’s brilliance has never been in doubt. He’s guided the Bolts through highs and lows, molding lineups that overachieve and finding ways to win even when the odds are stacked. Yet, the current roster lacks the depth and star power of previous years. The talent pool has thinned, and while the team still boasts veterans with championship pedigree, many are nearing the twilight of their careers. The once-dominant Andrei Vasilevskiy, for example, remains a formidable presence in net, but age and injuries may be catching up to him. He’s not the same wall he once was, and that vulnerability could be a sign of broader decline.
This season may be the most telling of Cooper’s career. If the Lightning falter, it could signal the beginning of a rebuild. The front office may be forced to dismantle the current core and invest in youth, trading away aging stars for future assets. And if that happens, one has to wonder: does Coop stay for the long haul, or does he seek a fresh start out west, perhaps with a team ready to contend?
Despite the looming uncertainty, the Bolts remain an entertaining team to watch. The mix of young talent and seasoned veterans creates a dynamic on-ice product. When they’re in sync, they can score at will, reminding fans of the explosive offense that once terrorized the league. There’s no quit in this group, and that resilience is a testament to Cooper’s leadership.
Still, discipline remains a concern. Avoiding penalties—especially unnecessary ones—could easily translate into four or five more wins over the course of the season. Staying out of the box is not just a coaching point; it’s a survival tactic for a team that can’t afford to give away momentum.
In the end, this season may not be about chasing another Stanley Cup. It might be about evaluating what’s left, what’s worth keeping, and what needs to change. Whether it’s the beginning of a rebuild or a final push with the current core, one thing is certain: Jon Cooper will make the most of what he has. And for Tampa fans, that’s reason enough to keep watching. Go Bolts!
NFL Insider Sparks Trade Deadline Frenzy - Saints Must Act Before Window Closes
The New Orleans Saints are a team that sits in the cellar of the NFC South. With the NFL's trade deadline around the corner, will they have legitimate opportunities to trade away some impressive talent in exchange for draft compensation? It seems like that answer is a resounding "yes" around the NFL.
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at 3 PM CT.
Adam Schefter expects busy trade deadline around the NFL
NFL insider Adam Schefter doesn't think a dormant trade deadline is ahead for the league. Instead, recent years of aggressive activity by contenders may push teams to pay up for talent on struggling teams at the deadline.
"The teams that are winning want to bolster their rosters and their chances of making an extended playoff run. The teams that aren't winning are willing to begin looking ahead to the next season and stockpiling draft picks to help replenish their roster.
Maybe it's only fitting that, after a week of trades and with more expected ahead, Sunday marks the 36th anniversary of the Cowboys trading Herschel Walker to the Vikings for a package of players and picks that Dallas used to build its dynasty in the 1990s. The trade involved 12 draft picks and 18 players and is one of the largest and most complicated not just in NFL history, but in sports history.
It's hard to imagine that any NFL team could make a trade that significant ahead of the deadline. But general managers are lighting up phone lines, digging into the available players and waiting to make their next move." --
Saints have multiple veterans to deal away, and they should
As of now, New Orleans has just five draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Part of that is due to the Devaughn Vele trade where they surprisingly dealt their fourth-round selection to the Denver Broncos for the big-bodied wide receiver. Vele has not played a majority of the snaps when healthy this season for the Saints.
With that in mind, New Orleans should be eyeing deals to acquire more capital for young talent. Trading players like Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Pete Werner, Foster Moreau, and Carl Granderson (among other possibly) needs to be at the top of the to-do list for the front office.
It doesn't sound like they will trade running back Alvin Kamara, as he would like to stay with the team. He made that known to general manager Mickey Loomis recently as well.
"Sources say Kamara told Saints general manager Mickey Loomis that he'd like to remain with the franchise through the rest of his career, which was the goal when he signed a two-year, $24.5 million extension last October. Kamara is signed through 2026 and will have a decision to make prior to next season about if he wants to continue playing." --
I'm of the mindset that trading Granderson is a must for the Saints. He is a very good player, but his return may be the most notable of any of these veterans except for Olave. Getting a day two selection would be nice value and another piece of the puzzle to help the Saints rebuild in some ways next offseason.
As for the mentioned Olave, he is under contract with the Saints for next season, but contract extension negotiations would certainly start before then if he stayed with the team (or also got moved, actually). Regardless, his play has been a bit inconsistent at times this season, and he's had some dreadfully-timed drops that have taken production away from QB Spencer Rattler.
Shaheed is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, so the Saints could believe that getting a return for him at this deadline would make the most sense. I would definitely understand that. Although, moving both he and Olave would really hinder the passing game talent for whoever is playing QB down the stretch in New Orleans.
All in all, there will be offers aplenty for the Saints in the coming weeks. It all depends on how they feel about those returns and the locker room after shipping off some meaningful, experienced pieces on their roster.
