As a player, he spent seven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Winnipeg Jets, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks.

That year he also made his NHL debut with the Jets, scoring 2 points in 2 games.

Following the Stanley Cup win Cole played the majority of the 1995–1996 season in the IHL.

Cole then played 2 games with the Griffins during the 1999–2000 season before officially announcing his retirement.

Cole was the head coach at the University of Alabama in Huntsville starting with the 2007–2008 season.

[1] On April 11, 2017, he was appointed head coach at his alma mater, Michigan State.