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Cole Koepke

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Cole Koepke
Koepke in 2022
Born (1998-05-17) May 17, 1998 (age 26)
Two Harbors, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Boston Bruins
Tampa Bay Lightning
NHL draft 183rd overall, 2018
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 2021–present

Cole Tyler Koepke (born May 17, 1998) is an American professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). As a member of the Sioux City Musketeers, Koepke was drafted 183rd overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He then played three seasons with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey team before joining the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Early life

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Koepke was born on May 17, 1998, in Two Harbors, Minnesota, U.S[1] to parents Jim and Julie Koepke.[2] He began playing ice hockey after watching his older brother Travis play the sport.[3] As a student at Hermantown High School,[2] Koepke played defence on their varsity soccer team.[4] He also served as a senior assistant team captain as the hockey team captured the 2015–16 Minnesota State High School Class A title.[2] During the tournament, he scored four goals and two assists in their 11–3 quarterfinals win and finished their state championship run with 11 total points.[5]

Playing career

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Following high school, Koepke joined the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) for two seasons and served as an assistant captain for one.[1] He played 22 games as a rookie, recording five points and time on the penalty kill and the power play, before being sidelined due to a knee injury.[6] Early in the 2017–18 season, Koepke signed a letter of intent with the University of Minnesota Duluth.[7] Leading up to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Koepke was ranked 215th among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.[8] He concluded the season with 28 goals and 39 points in 60 games and was eventually drafted in the sixth round, 183rd overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning.[7] Following the draft, Koepke was invited to participate in their Development Camp.[9]

Collegiate

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Koepke joined the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey team as a rookie for their 2018–19 NCAA season. During the season, he often skated on the left wing on a line with Parker Mackay and Justin Richards who helped him record 19 points. At the conclusion of the season, Koepke helped the Bulldogs captured their second-consecutive national championship.[10] The following season, Koepke reigned as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) leader in goals and completed his sophomore season riding a 10-game scoring streak.[11] He ended his sophomore campaign with 33 points in 34 games and earned first-team all-NCHC and second-team All-American honors.[12]

Koepke returned to the Bulldogs for the 2020–21 NCAA season and served as an assistant captain. During his junior season, Koepke lead the team in shots with 115 and finished second on the team in goals.[13] He helped the Bulldogs return to the NCAA Frozen Four, recording one goal, as the team lost in the semi finals to the eventual champions the University of Massachusetts Minutemen.[14] At the conclusion of the season, Koepke was again named to the first-team all-NCHC[13] and a Hobey Baker Award nominee.[15]

Professional

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Koepke officially concluded his collegiate career by signing a two-year entry-level contract with the Lightning on April 13, 2021.[16] Following the signing, he joined their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, for the remainder of the season. In his second game with the Crunch, Koepke scored his first professional goal in a 7–1 win over the Utica Comets.[17]

On October 11, 2022, Koepke made his NHL debut with the Lightning. Koepke skated on the Lightning's third line in a loss to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.[18][19] Following the on-ice death of his friend Adam Johnson on October 28, 2023, Koepke opted to wear a neck guard.[20]

Following four seasons within the Lightning organization, Koepke left as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2024.[21]

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2013–14 Hermantown High USHS 25 17 11 28 12 3 0 2 2 0
2014–15 Hermantown High USHS 25 17 19 36 12 3 3 3 6 0
2015–16 Hermantown High USHS 24 31 22 53 23 3 4 0 4 0
2015–16 Minnesota Wilderness NAHL 9 2 1 3 4 8 0 0 0 4
2016–17 Sioux City Musketeers USHL 22 3 2 5 19 — — — — —
2017–18 Sioux City Musketeers USHL 60 28 11 39 34 — — — — —
2018–19 U. of Minnesota-Duluth NCHC 42 7 12 19 14 — — — — —
2019–20 U. of Minnesota-Duluth NCHC 34 16 17 33 16 — — — — —
2020–21 U. of Minnesota-Duluth NCHC 28 15 8 23 22 — — — — —
2020–21 Syracuse Crunch AHL 9 2 1 3 2 — — — — —
2021–22 Syracuse Crunch AHL 69 20 19 39 55 5 2 1 3 0
2022–23 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 17 1 0 1 2 — — — — —
2022–23 Syracuse Crunch AHL 52 7 12 19 23 5 0 3 3 2
2023–24 Syracuse Crunch AHL 53 20 19 39 14 8 4 0 4 0
2023–24 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 9 0 2 2 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 26 1 2 3 2 — — — — —

References

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  1. ^ a b "Cole Koepke". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Cole Koepke". umdbulldogs.com. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  3. ^ "Northern Star: Hawks' Cole Koepke". Fox 21. January 11, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  4. ^ Kalra, Avash (February 12, 2021). "Koepke, Duluth Pick Up Momentum". College Hockey News. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  5. ^ Wellens, Matt (March 5, 2020). "Confident Koepke scoring for UMD like he did at Hermantown". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Giese, Jerry (October 5, 2017). "Koepke healthy and hungry to contribute". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Burns, Bryan (June 23, 2018). "Lightning select LW Cole Koepke in sixth round". National Hockey League. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  8. ^ "2018 NHL Draft Profile: Cole Koepke". USHL. June 7, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "Lightning announce 2018 Development Camp roster". National Hockey League. June 24, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  10. ^ Burns, Bryan (June 26, 2019). "Koepke's confidence high coming off national championship season". National Hockey League. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  11. ^ "ALL-AMERICAN STATUS BESTOWED ON QUARTET OF BULLDOGS". University of Minnesota Duluth. April 11, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  12. ^ Divver, Mark (April 17, 2020). "On Campus: 10 impact players for 2020-21 season". National Hockey League. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "BULLDOG QUARTET NAMED TO 2020-21 ALL-NCHC TEAMS". University of Minnesota Duluth. March 8, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  14. ^ "BULLDOGS' QUEST FOR A THIRD CONSECUTIVE NCAA TITLE COMES UP SHORT AT THE HANDS OF UMASS". University of Minnesota Duluth. April 9, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  15. ^ "Trio of Bulldogs announced as Hobey Baker Award nominees". WDIO. February 1, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  16. ^ "Lightning sign forward Cole Koepke to two-year contract". National Hockey League. April 13, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "Bulldogs Report: Hermantown's Koepke scores first pro goal with Syracuse Crunch". Duluth News Tribune. April 25, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021."Cole Koepke Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  18. ^ "Lightning's Cole Koepke: Makes NHL team". Cbssports.com. October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  19. ^ "Lightning Round: Cole Koepke makes NHL debut". rawcharge.com. October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  20. ^ "Lightning's Cole Koepke wears neck guard following Adam Johnson's death". CBS Minnesota. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  21. ^ "Bruins announce July 1 transactions". Boston Bruins. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
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