In the post-season on June 6, 2016, Cole scored his first career playoff goal against Martin Jones of the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Entering the final season of his contract with the Penguins in 2017–18, on October 7, 2017, Cole blocked a shot from Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi and missed the next three games to recover.

[13] On February 8, during a 2018–19 regular season game against the Washington Capitals, Cole laid a late hit on Evgeny Kuznetsov resulting in a fight with Tom Wilson.

[15] Entering his final year under contract with the Avalanche in the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season, Cole played in a third pairing role in the opening two games.

[citation needed] On January 19, 2021, Cole was traded by the Avalanche to divisional rival club, the Minnesota Wild, in exchange for Greg Pateryn.

[16] Cole made an instant impact, solidifying the Wild's third pairing and helping the team push up the standings in recording 1 goal and 8 points through 52 regular season games.

As a free agent, despite showing interest to return to the Wild, Cole was unable to come to terms and was signed to a one-year, $2.9 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 28, 2021.

[22] After spending just one year with the Canucks, Cole once again became an unrestricted free agent, signing a one-year, $3.1 million contract with the Utah Hockey Club on July 1, 2024.

[24] Cole added four goals and an assist in seven games of the tournament, helping United States national junior team to a bronze medal finish.