Cooper's coaching a stacked roster. That means his systems skills can be less than someone like Trotz, who has the Islanders operating like a machine, getting results beyond the sum of the individual players. In Cooper's case, having more skilled players requires more personal skills – handling egos, motivation, mental fatigue, etc. In that respect, Cooper's among the best. He's also one of the most engaging speakers in the league, not surprising given his background as a trial lawyer.