Tampa Bay Lightning Top 25 Under 25: #4 Cole Koepke

Cole Koepke is ranked #4 in our Top 25 Under 25 list. Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping he will be able to fill the last forward spot in the lineup.

Cole Koepke was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018. He played at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and finished 5th in team scoring with 20 goals and 39 points in 69 games last season. Koekke left the NCAA after his third year and joined the Crunch in the latter part of 2021.

Cole Koepke plays a heavy game on the forecheck and in battles along the boards. He is also a physical presence between the benches and between whistles. Koepeke can generate a lot of shots and is a net positive to his team when he was on ice vs. off. He averaged 3 shots per game across the whole season, totalling 199 on-the-year. His shot mechanics are good. The player is in the top 2% of AHLers in terms of shot attempts per 60 minutes.

Cole Koepke is ranked #4 in the Top 25 Under 25 list by NHL Central Scouting. He has a good shot volume and a solid defensive game. His stop-start acceleration is not great for someone of his size. Koekke will probably play on the fourth line. He hasn't played in an NHL before.

Cole Koepke is ranked 4th in the list of the Tampa Bay Lightning's Top 25 Under 25 players. He is expected to make the roster this season. The team has plenty of cap room to fill three spots. Haydn Fleury is the 7D and he will play for the Crunch. He will be able to keep him in when Cirelli comes back. There will also be a spot for a player on waivers. It is possible that Fortier will get the final spot. Tampa has a 22-player roster with one spare at forward and defense.