The Blue Jackets have been a different team under Rick Bowness, winning 10 of 11 games since bringing him aboard one month ago. So far, the player who seems to be taking the biggest step under the new head coach is Cole Sillinger.
Drafted by the Blue Jackets in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft (#12 overall, though he was the 11th player picked), Cole stepped right into the league as an 18 year old.
He was the only player from his draft class to play the entire season in the NHL that year, and he took some lumps. But, he also showed a lot of promise thanks to his compete level and willingness to play in a variety of roles.
Since then, the only constant around the Blue Jackets has been change. Cole has played under 4 different head coaches, and narrowly missed a 5th. The GM who drafted him was also let go by the team in 2024. Now, he nears the end of his bridge contract that was signed under the new GM. And, I think he’s due for a pretty sizeable pay raise.
Despite all of the tumult within the organization, Cole has quietly stuck it out. He just goes about his business on and off the ice, typically playing within this team’s bottom six. He’s a bit of a utility guy, in that he can play up and down the lineup in all three forward spots.
While he maybe hasn’t developed as quickly as we hoped he would, I don’t think anyone can deny the fact that he is a part of this team’s competitive core moving forward. This season, it seems like he’s found his niche in this league-especially since the coaching change.
Silly is breaking out.
In 11 games under Rick Bowness, Cole Sillinger’s stat line reads like this: 1 goal, 6 points, +8, roughly 15 minutes per game. Doesn’t seem all that impressive, right?
But, consider this: al of those points came in the last 6 games. Meanwhile, he’s averaging about 15 minutes per game, on a line that faces the opposition’s top line as much as the coach can get them out there.
They are not only surviving those minutes. They are thriving in them. His line with Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivier has become this team’s identity. They are big, physical, just a touch nasty, and reliable on the defensive side of the puck.
Yes, having two crafty, predictable veterans beside him definitely helps. And, having Coyle step into the middle has simplified the game a bit. But, Cole isn’t just the third wheel on this line. He’s passed the eye test in a big way, especially over the last handful of games before the break.
In more than one of those games, I thought he was the best forward on the ice. Not just for the Blue Jackets. He has found his role, in a system that makes sense, and he is thriving in it.
Jackets win 3-0, Elvis Merzlikins gets the shutout in New Jersey! HUGE win on the road.
My three stars:
🌟🌟🌟 Olivier (2g)
🌟🌟 Sillinger (1a)
🌟 Merzlikins (23 saves)#CBJ
— Union and Blue (@UnionAndBlue) February 4, 2026
Now, he’s on pace to surpass his career high in points (33, 2024-25). He’s a positive player in the +/- category, facing top competition, and only looks to be getting better under the new head coach.
His play of late is one of the reasons I think the team can comfortably move on from their captain, should they choose to do so. I think this guy can fill the role #38 has done so well in, for so long.
At this point, I think this is one of the easiest no-brainer contract extensions that Don Waddell needs to get done. He should be looking to sign Cole Sillinger for as long as he can, locking him in as part of this team’s young core.
What will that contract look like?
It’s tough to find comps for Cole Sillinger. At least, recent comps. The two players I’ve always liked to compare him with are Ryan O’Reilly and Brayden Schenn.
O’Reilly broke out big in his third season, making his bridge deal coming out of his ELC a $5m AAV. Then, he continued to produce, earning him a whopping 7-year, $52.5m contract-more than 10% of the cap at the time. I don’t see that happening for Cole.
Schenn also broke out offensively, but it was during his bridge deal. In two seasons under a $2.5m salary, he posted 47 and 59 points. Then, he signed a 4-year, $20.5m contract (roughly 7% of the cap). Similarly, I have a hard time seeing Cole asking for that much money. He just hasn’t posted the numbers to this point.
So, we pivot to the only signing I can come up with that makes sense as a comparable. And, it happened under Don Waddell’s management.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi was a high draft pick that struggled to find his way early in his career. But, young centers are hard to come by, so the Carolina Hurricanes threw a big offer sheet his way. Then, as soon as they could, they signed him to an 8-year, $38.56m contract (5.8% of the cap).
This is the sweet spot for Cole Sillinger. Next year’s salary cap is going to be $104 million dollars. An 8-year deal at that cap range would put him around $6 million per season. Maybe Waddell can make the argument that Kotkaniemi hasn’t lived up to that value, and get him for a little less.
If Cole continues to grow and develop as a player, that will turn into a bargain over time. I think he can do it. He has the right attitude and brings a lot of valuable traits to this team.