During this past off-season, the Boston Bruins signed forward Cole Koepke to a one-year, two-way contract. Following the move, the expectation was that Koepke would simply play down in the AHL with the Providence Bruins and be a call-up candidate when injuries occurred on Boston's roster.
However, after impressing during the pre-season, Koepke not only spent the entire season on Boston's roster but was also a mainstay in their bottom six. He also set new career highs with 10 goals, seven assists, 17 points, and 177 hits in 73 games. Overall, it was a breakout year for the 2018 sixth-round pick, and he showed that he can be a useful fourth-liner in the NHL.
Now, Koepke is a pending unrestricted free agent and due for a raise from his $775,000 salary at the NHL level. The Bruins now need to decide if they want to re-sign him or let him walk into free agency.
Koepke formed good chemistry with fellow hard-nosed forward Mark Kastelic this season, so it would be understandable if the Bruins were open to keeping him around. However, at the same time, the Bruins could also decide to move on from Koepke in order to give their younger players a chance in a bottom-six role.
No matter what happens with Koepke this off-season, it is hard not to consider his season a success. He cemented himself as a full-time NHL player with the Bruins, and he should get rewarded with his next contract, whether he receives it from Boston or another team.
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