Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Jon Cooper Both Canadian And American

09/12/2016 at 11:36am EDT

from Frank Seravalli of TSN,

Cooper’s own marriage spans both sides of the border. He was born and raised in Prince George, but his wife, Jessie, is from Michigan.

The Tampa Bay Lightning coach’s three children are American, born on different stops during his rise through the coaching ranks in St. Louis and Green Bay.

Cooper became a United States citizen in the mid-90s. He has been living in the U.S. exclusively since 1990, nearly 30 years now, when he got a job in New York after graduating from Hofstra University on Long Island.

So, does Cooper - who is serving as an assistant to Todd McLellan - see himself more as a Canadian or an American?

He wouldn’t bite.

“This is so difficult for me,” Cooper said. “I think growing up in Canada, where the whole country lives and dies on hockey, the sport is bred in you. My passion and love for the game were born in Canada.

“But then I think about my time in the United States - my education and coaching education was fostered there. I’ve had the chance to work with a lot of amazing people who taught me well. I think both places fed into my growth, helped me get where I am today.”

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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