May 1, 2025 | 12:01pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
LIGHTNING ASSISTANT COACHES GARNERING INTEREST
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Jeff Blashill and Jeff Halpern
The Tampa Bay Lightning saw their season come to an end Wednesday night, losing to the Florida Panthers in five games in the first-round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With the Bolts now forced to begin focusing on the 2025-26 campaign, they may see some changes occur behind the bench in the coming weeks.
While head coach Jon Cooper is signed for next season, there appears to be interest in some of his assistant coaches from some of the other NHL clubs in need of head coaches.
According to TFP’s David Pagnotta, Lightning assistant coaches Jeff Blashill and Jeff Halpern have generated interest from other teams and are expected to interview for some of the vacancies out there.
“Blashill, he’s out there,” Pagnotta said this week on The Latest. “He’s interviewing for some of the vacancies across the league.
“Another guy that’s on some team’s radars that they’d like to talk to – Jeff Halpern is somebody that some teams want to discuss and chat about.”
Will the #LeafsForever move on tonight? Do the #GoKingsGo rebound? (@DennisTFP addresses Hiller exchange) Can the #GoJetsGo get back on track? Are the #GoHabsGo able to keep going? Me & DB joined @KatePettersen_ for some playoff talk, and I also touch on the coaching carousel. pic.twitter.com/OSrxpZwivc
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) April 29, 2025
Meanwhile, with five pending unrestricted free agents on the roster, Bolts GM Julien BriseBois will need to decide what direction he wants to take with some players, such as goalie Jonas Johansson, defenceman Nick Perbix, and veteran forward Yanni Gourde, whom the Bolts acquired ahead of the trade deadline this season.