Lightning's Jon Cooper Apologizes for 'Skirts' Remark After 2024 NHL Playoff Loss

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper apologized Wednesday for previous comments suggesting the league should "put skirts" on goaltenders if certain goaltender interference rulings are going to be made.

"It's one of those minutes if you could just reach back and grab the words back, I would've," he said, per the Associated Press. "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."

He made the initial comments following Tampa Bay's season-ending 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.

The Lightning had two goals taken off the board when the officials ruled that players interfered with Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

"We might as well put skirts on them then," Cooper said. "... I think we're letting the goalies off the hook."

The comments led to plenty of criticism:

Yet he apologized for them Wednesday with the Lightning in the early stages of the offseason after losing the series 4-1.

While Florida won Game 5 with relative ease, Cooper also called the goaltender interference calls turning points. The first came when the game was scoreless and the second eliminated a goal that would have tied the contest at two in the second period.

The 2023-24 season was Cooper's 12th season as the head coach of the Lightning. The team has won two championships and reached four Stanley Cup Finals during his tenure.