BOSTON — When he got back from Washington D.C. for the Bruins’ final preseason game, Cole Koepke was packed on Sunday morning. But the 26-year-old forward didn’t know where he was headed.
Koepke, who signed a free agent deal with Boston during the offseason, had a solid camp but knew he’d be just above or just below the cut line when the Bruins’ opening night roster was announced.
So he could be headed to Florida with a Bruins’ No. 45 jersey as part of his traveling gear.
Or he could be bound for Providence. If he cleared waivers he’d be sent to the AHL with a chance to earn his way back to Boston later.
Or he could be headed to any one of 31 other North American destinations if someone claimed him on waivers.
“I was really nervous. I really didn’t know until pretty much right before we went to Florida,” Koepke said. “We were just waiting for the schedule. And then it was either packed up to, I don’t know — go on waivers or go to Florida. And then I just got the message that I was traveling to Florida.”
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The trip brought him south of where his NHL career began. The former sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning had played 26 career NHL games but spent most of the past three seasons in the AHL. As a free agent this summer, he thought Boston offered a chance to compete for an NHL job and a fit style-wise.
“There was some opportunity here and it was always an equal chance. I just liked the way they played. They always play fast. They play aggressive in-your-face hockey and I feel like that fits some of the strengths in my game,” he said. “And besides that, the city is great. They had a great reputation for having a tight-knit locker room. That’s all lived up to expectations. And just the history of the Original Six and all that. It was just too good of a chance to turn down.”
Injuries, first to Max Jones and then Matt Poitras, opened up some early opportunities for him and by the end of camp, he was showing good fourth-line chemistry with Mark Kastelic and Johnny Beecher.
“I felt comfortable and confident the way I played in the preseason,” he said. “And I felt that I was for sure in the mix for one of those spots.”
He admitted he’d try to read clues into his chances when he was off the ice.
“You could definitely try to read into preseason games, maybe who you’re playing with, how many games you’re playing, what’s going on,” he said. “You just have to push that aside and view it as an opportunity. Just try and play your game and show how you can help this team and put your best foot forward.”
He not only made the roster to open the season, but dressed for Tuesday’s game at Florida. While nobody on the Bruins played great in their 6-4 loss, the fourth line showed some good signs. Jim Montgomery praised Koepke’s ability to disrupt opponents.
“His ability to create turnovers is something that we’ve liked,” Montgomery said. “It’s not something we did at a real good level (against) Florida, but something we need to get to.”
Koepke was eager to follow through.
“We’ve talked a lot about just playing to your strengths. Just me, Kastelic and Beech are all big guys and we all move well. Part of our job is to create energy and make it tough on the other team,” he said Thursday morning. “We’re going to forecheck hard. We’re going to create turnovers in the offensive zone. We’re going to wear them down and be responsible in our own end. We’ve done a good job through the preseason stuff of working and building on that, and we just need to keep progressing.”
Hours after he said that, the fourth line might have been the Bruins’ best unit in Thursday’s 6-4 win over the Canadiens. Koepke scored his first goal as a Bruin (the second of his NHL career) and added two assists. The goal was a true grinder’s goal. He went hard to the net and jammed the puck through Cayden Primeau’s pads for the second of the fourth line’s three goals.
“We did a great job of playing together, playing fast and playing simple,” he said. “When we play like that, offense comes to us when we’re trying to put the other team on their heels.”
With Poitras likely back this weekend and Tyler Johnson still looming on a PTO, Koepke is going to have to keep playing well to hold onto a roster spot.
“I think even though maybe I’ve made it right now, I’m just trying to get better every single day and just continue to push and develop as a player and know that you can never get comfortable,” he said. “Someone’s always trying to get that spot. There’s a lot of good hockey players within the organization. I’ve just got to get better every day.”
