The Boston Bruins will embark on their first extended road trip, beginning Wednesday night with the Colorado Avalanche. Despite their 2-2-0 record, the Black and Gold have seen Johnny Beecher, Mark Kastelic, and Cole Koepke emerge as the most consistent line early in the season.
Beecher gained a household name for the Bruins last season, when he was a sparkplug for Boston at times after being named to the 2023-24 Opening Night squad. During the preseason, Kastelic quickly became a fan favorite for his muscular style and willingness to drop the gloves. Koepke, on the other hand, has quietly emerged on the radar over the first four games of the season. On the most recent episode of NESN’s “The Hockey Hub” podcast, Judd Sirott discussed Koepke’s rise to the status of an everyday Bruins player.
“We didn’t really talk a whole lot about Cole Koepke in particular during training camp,” Sirott pointed out. “But, I’m not sure if I’d call it surprising, but Jim Montgomery stated that he had a pretty outstanding camp, and I don’t believe anyone had him penciled in for the first four games, despite playing in all four of them.
“But that has certainly been the case.” He can skate. He’s neither the biggest nor the smallest. But he can win some wars. He’s put himself in some excellent situations, which helps him to stay in the lineup on a regular basis.”
Koepke has four points (one goal, three assists) in four games with the Bruins. He and his linemates have 13 points and 12 shots on goal in the first four games of the season. Sirott noted that Koepke is adjusting to being with Boston after playing in a top-six role at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where they won the National Championship at the end of the 2018-19 NCAA season.
“He does have an opportunity to carve out a niche,” Sirott informed me. “… You enter the National Hockey League and want to get to that position (of being in the top six), but you have to first succeed in the bottom six to have that opportunity, which still involves a certain degree of responsibility, and he’s playing that way so far.”
