Bruins’ Cole Koepke performed in 26 video games throughout two seasons within the NHL earlier than signing with Boston within the offseason.
The 26-year-old ahead has performed in all however one of many Bruins’ 26 video games this season, growing into an important cog on the fourth line with John Beecher and Mark Kastelic and incomes an prolonged stick with the large membership.
“The very first thing that jumps out is his velocity,” interim head coach Joe Sacco mentioned after the membership’s follow on Monday at Warrior Ice Enviornment. “It’s one thing that he brings to our workforce that when he’s skating the way in which he can, he’s efficient on the forecheck.
“Even final night time (in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens), we rating a purpose due to a reload. It was forecheck by the road, however he had reload coming again to the impartial zone; we flip a puck over. We ended up going again and getting a purpose from it. So, the largest factor for me is his velocity and the way efficient it may be when he’s using it.”
Koepke is a three-way risk on the ice for the Bruins together with his velocity, energy and measurement — he stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 203 kilos.
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“While you take a look at him, he’s a straight-line participant, proper? If he’s supporting the puck the way in which he can, popping out of our defensive zone on our breakouts, coming by way of the center of the ice, he places a variety of strain on the opposition’s defensemen,” Sacco mentioned. “They begin to unnerve a little bit bit, and that’s when he’s at his finest. And once you do use that velocity, it’s a must to give you some pucks as nicely on the forecheck. And that’s under the purpose line. Good stick, being bodily, being arduous on pucks.”
Sacco continued: “You don’t must essentially put folks by way of the wall or something like that, but it surely’s simply being arduous on pucks under the purpose line. We’re beginning to see that a little bit bit extra with him. And (the fourth line) had an excellent begin to the yr, and typically over 82 video games, there’s ups and downs, but it surely appears to be like like he’s again on monitor once more.”
Koepke has 5 objectives and 5 assists for 10 factors this season, together with a two-point night time within the Bruins’ 6-3 win over the Canadiens within the centennial sport on Sunday.
“That is an superior group,” Koepke informed reporters on Monday. “We’re handled rather well, and the blokes within the room are superior. So, simply having a ton of and having fun with each a part of it.”
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