TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning rewarded coach John Tortorella on Thursday for a promising start, exercising options to keep the entire coaching staff under contract through next season.

The Lightning (9-4-2-1) lead the Southeast Division with 21 points.

Tortorella, a former University of Maine men’s hockey team star, took over as coach midway through the 2000-01 season. The club also picked up options on associate coach Craig Ramsay, assistant coach Jeff Reese, strength and conditioning coach Eric Lawson, and video coach Nigel Kirwan.