The 6-foot-1, 196-pound left wing scored 28 goals and registered 39 points in 60 games with the Musketeers during the 2017-18 season. Koepke was a teammate of Sammy Walker, Tampa Bay's Seventh Round draft pick (No. 200 overall) in 2017, at Sioux City this season.
"The feeling is pretty hard to describe," Koepke said about getting drafted. "It's something I've dreamed about my entire life growing up as a kid. Just to be here and go through the experience with my family is something we'll all remember."
Koepke signed a letter of intent with defending NCAA national champion University of Minnesota-Duluth in November. He's a 20-year-old, left-handed shot from Hermantown, Minnesota, who describes himself as a power forward.
"I'm going to do things around the net and on the penalty kill and forechecking and getting pucks to the net and getting out front and using my size to my advantage," he said.
Koepke said he had a feeling Tampa Bay was interested in him, but the experience of waiting around for his name to be called was "pretty nerve-racking."
"Tampa Bay's been such a great organization, especially the past few years," Koepke said. "They've been one of the top-notch teams in the League. They're a well-respected team, and I couldn't be happier to be a part of the organization."
