Lightning coach Jon Cooper sets 'Wedding Crashers' rules for team
How many NHL coaches derive hockey strategies from the movie "Wedding Crashers"? Probably not many, but there is at least one bench boss in the NHL who was inspired by the Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn comedy.
Lightning defenseman Mark Barberio recently told NHL.com that Tampa coach Jon Cooper insists his team follows two of the rules from the comedy: rule 76 (no excuses, play like a champion) and rule 113 (don't look for opportunities, make them).
"They have symbolism for us," Cooper told NHL.com.
In context, those two rules seem to be highly applicable in hockey, and the unique origin has worked for Cooper in the past. Cooper won a championship in his second full year of coaching at every level of hockey he coached. This year marks his second full year of coaching in Tampa, and the Lightning are at least in contention for a championship with their spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Whether or not they'll win remains questionable, but Cooper said he will stick to the same plan he has used at other levels of the game.
"This level is different because of the salary cap," Cooper told NHL.com. "There are layers. But everybody still has the same principles. We're just taking those all the way to the top. Now, the fact that we have won a championship every second year, you can't predict that."
(h/t NHL)
Photo credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
