We’re still over a month away from training camp and longer until the beginning of the preseason, but a lot of work has been done by the Columbus Blue Jackets as they begin a new era. The changes started in the middle of last season when longtime general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was relieved of his duties after more than 10 years at the helm. An experienced hand, Don Waddell, was brought in as his replacement, and the team has also hired a new head coach, Dean Evason.
It’s a clean slate and a fresh start for many in the organization. That shift could also make it difficult to earmark how pre-existing players will perform, where they’ll be slotted in the lineup, and exactly how they’ll be depended on moving forward. One such player is restricted free agent (RFA) Cole Sillinger – the only remaining RFA on the Blue Jackets’ books. For his new contract, Waddell should lean towards a bridge deal, as he has with other RFAs this summer.
Sillinger’s First Three Seasons
Sillinger was the only player in the Kekalainen era to make the opening-night roster as an 18-year-old. He was also the only player from his draft class to play a full season in the NHL the year he was selected.
In a substandard season for the Blue Jackets, Sillinger was a decent contributor as a rookie in 2021-22, posting 31 points and chipping in with 16 goals. He was on his way to being the player the Jackets hoped he’d be when they picked him 12th overall. However, many players have difficulty in their second NHL season, and Sillinger hit the “sophomore slump”, with his production dropping off the map to 11 points in 64 games. He struggled to make an impact so much so that he spent a bit of time in the American Hockey League trying to get his confidence back.
It seemed to work, somewhat. Season three of his career got him back to where he was as a rookie, and he earned more responsibility as the games added up. Defensively, he improved significantly, and he was much less invisible than in his second season as he finished with 32 points.
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Still not quite at the “top-six center” level he was touted as in his draft year, he has cemented himself as a legitimate NHLer and a top-nine caliber player. His average ice time rose from around 13 minutes to over 16 minutes and his plus-minus rose drastically from minus-20 in each of his first two campaigns to minus-4 – ranked second among all Blue Jackets who played more than 70 games. He’s made strides in the right direction.
Waddell’s Handling of the Blue Jackets’ Restricted Free Agents
RFA negotiations are nothing new to Waddell, particularly among young Blue Jackets forwards this offseason. Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko, and Yegor Chinakhov were in the same position and signed new contacts this summer.
Ultimately, the same question marks that were in play for the Blue Jackets’ other RFAs are in place for Sillinger. They’ve all had issues with consistency but shown flashes of brilliance. They’ve all been drafted and developed in the Blue Jackets’ system, which has been steeped in criticism due to its handling of young players in the Brad Larsen and Pascal Vincent regimes. Regarding the other youngsters, Waddell decided he wasn’t comfortable signing any of those players to a six or seven-year deal, opting instead for a two or three-year bridge deals.
If there wasn’t enough evidence to reinforce the idea of a long-term contract for Johnson, Marchenko, or Chinakhov, there certainly isn’t enough for a long-term contract for Sillinger. Waddell would be smart to follow his modus operandi and get number four signed to a bridge deal at somewhere between $2-3 million.
