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Jon Cooper Praises Young Lightning Defenseman After Career Night
Nov 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) and New Jersey Devils right wing Connor Brown (16) skate after the puck during the second period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Jon Cooper Praises Young Lightning Defenseman After Career Night

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI  |  By Samuel Len  |  Last updated Mar 30, 2026 6:00 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Lightning have spent most of this season patching together their blue line.

Injuries have come in waves, forcing constant changes and testing the team’s depth in ways few contenders experience. At times, they’ve been without pillars like Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Erik Cernak for extended stretches.

And yet, somehow, this group hasn’t just survived — it has thrived.

Tampa Bay has put together multiple winning streaks, including two separate six-game runs and an 11-game heater that started a remarkable 20-1-1 stretch. The reason for their recent success? Depth players stepping into bigger roles and contributing on both sides of the ice.

Lilleberg Has Career Night Against Senators

That trend continued in a 4–2 comeback win over the Ottawa Senators, a game that quickly turned into a showcase for the Lightning’s next wave.

Tampa Bay fell behind 2–0 just 4:25 into the first period — another slow start since the Olympics. But instead of unraveling, they responded with two goals in the second and two more in the third to win the game.

What made the comeback even more impressive was who wasn’t on the ice. Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul were both out of the lineup, leaving a significant gap in production.

That’s where Emil Lilleberg stepped in. The young defenseman recorded the first three-point game of his NHL career, finishing with a goal (video below) and two assists.

After the game, head coach Jon Cooper didn’t hold back his praise:

“It's the old line. You know, guys are out. Somebody's got to step up and Lily [Lilleberg] and Chucky [D'Astous], I think, were they plus four tonight? I think they're out for all four. Good for them. We miss Lily when he was really coming on this year and I think he's been more known for his defensive play and how tough he plays and things like that. So, it's great to see him get involved like that and get rewarded, especially in such a big game the way it was. But I thought those two guys were outstanding for us tonight, especially those last two periods."

A Relatively Unkown Defensive Duo in Tampa

Lilleberg’s breakout performance didn’t come out of nowhere.

He’s built his reputation as a physical, defense-first player: someone who plays hard minutes, wins battles, and makes life difficult for opposing forwards. Offense has never been the headline of his game, which is what makes this career night stand out.

Alongside him, Charles D'Astous also had a strong performance of his own, finishing with a goal (video below) and an assist.

D’Astous brings a different element — more puck movement, more offensive instinct — but the same willingness to step into bigger roles when needed. So far this season, he has 5 goals and 22 assists in 61 games played.

Together, this pair represents exactly what Tampa Bay has relied on all season: depth players rising to the occasion.

Their season hasn’t followed a straight path, but performances like this explain why the Lightning remain a true Stanley Cup contender.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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