Tenacious Forward Has Been Surprise Addition To Bruins Lineup

The Boston Bruins are heading out of town for their first extended road trip against three Western Conference opponents beginning with the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night. Even with a 2-2-0 record, the Black and Gold has seen Johnny Beecher, Mark Kastelic and Cole Koepke emerge as the most consistent line early in the season.

Beecher became a household name for the Bruins last season when he became a sparkplug for Boston at times after earning an Opening Night roster for the 2023-24 campaign. Kastelic became an instant fan favorite with physical play and dropping the gloves during the preseason. Koepke, on the other hand, has quietly come on the radar through the first four games of the season. Judd Sirott discussed Koepke’s emergence as an everyday player for the Bruins on the latest episode of NESN’s “The Hockey Hub” podcast.

“We didn’t really talk a whole lot about Cole Koepke in particular during training camp,” Sirott said. “But, I don’t know if I would term it a surprise, but Jim Montgomery mentioned that he had a really good camp and I don’t think anybody necessarily had him penciled in here in the first four games in playing in all four of those games.

“But that’s certainly been the case. He can skate. He’s not the biggest guy; he’s not small, either. … But he’s able to win some battles. He’s put himself in some good spots and that’s what allows him to stay in the lineup on a consistent basis.”

Koepke has four points (one goal, three assists) in four games for the Bruins. He and his linemates have accounted for 13 points and 12 shots on goal through the first four games of the season. Sirott added that being with Boston is an adjustment for Koepke since he was in a top-six role at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where they won a National Championship at the end of the 2018-19 NCAA season.

“He does have an opportunity to carve out a niche,” Sirott said. “… You go into the National Hockey League, and you’re trying to get to that point (of being in the top six), but you have to succeed in the bottom six first to have that opportunity, but that still requires a certain level of responsibility, and thus far, he’s playing that way.”

You can watch the full segment on the Bruins’ fourth line and hear Sirott and Adam Pellerin’s take on whether or not Montgomery should break up the top line of Pavel Zacha, Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak on YouTube and Spotify.