Lightning Hire Former Stanley Cup Champion as Assistant

A Leesburg, Fla., native, Hinote spent last season as an associate coach with the Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. He helped the Eagles achieve a 43-21-5 record, the best in the AHL's Western Conference, and lead the league in goals (250) and goal differential (plus-65). The Eagles lost in five games in a best-of-five series against the Abbotsford Canucks - of course the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks - in the Division Finals (third round).

Hinote previously spent four years as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010-14 before moving into a scouting role with the organization. He also spent four years as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators from 2020-24.

In between those two NHL stints, he joined the United States National Team Development Program for the U17 and U18 teams.

As a player, Hinote appeared in 503 NHL games with the Avalanche and St. Louis Blues. He scored 90 points (38 goals, 52 assists) and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2001, appearing in all 23 postseason games during that run.

Cooper and the Lightning have had no shortage of assistants over his 12-year tenure, and they hope that Hinote can help them get back to the promised land.