It's decision week for general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Is Cole Sillinger ready enough for the NHL to start the clock on his entry-level contract?
Columbus' second of three first round draft picks in this summer's entry draft, Sillinger wasn't expected to play in the NHL this season. But a ridiculously strong NHL Prospect's Tournament in Traverse City and an equally great showing in training camp and the preseason moved the needle enough to plant Sillinger firmly in the opening night lineup.
Now, the Blue Jackets organization has to decide if he's shown well enough at the highest level to stay in Columbus full-time. That decision must come between back-to-back games against the Colorado Avalanche, a home-and-home that starts Wednesday in Denver and concludes Saturday at Nationwide Arena.
Wednesday's game will be Columbus' — and Sillinger's — ninth game of the season. The NHL's collective bargaining agreement gives teams the right to have first-year players (at least those who are Sillinger's age) to play up to nine games in the NHL before their three-year, entry-level contract begins. Once they play in game number ten, that first year goes into effect. It would put him one year closer to an eventual free agency, with his restricted free agent status beginning at the end of the 2023-24 season.
If the Blue Jackets decide that he still needs more seasoning before becoming an NHL regular, they could send Sillinger — the youngest player in the NHL — to the American Hockey League to play with the Cleveland Monsters. He's also eligible to be sent back to his junior league team in the Western Hockey League, but that seems by far to be the least likely destination.
Columbus could also decide to send him down just for the sake of having an extra year with him down the line, but that's a precarious decision. It's often seen as disrespectful to a player that deserves to be in the NHL, and those feelings are often forgiven — but never forgotten.
So, does Sillinger deserve to be in the NHL, and would the Blue Jackets be right to keep him in the lineup?
Absolutely.
Through eight games, Sillinger has just two points. One was an assist in the 18-year-old's NHL debut. The other? A beautiful goal that tied the game in an eventual win over the Stanley Cup contending New York Islanders.
Two points in eight games doesn't jump out on the stat sheet, but he's also been robbed more than once on the young season. There's no better example of tough luck than the October 25th game against the Dallas Stars — another eventual win. Sillinger was about 1/8th of an inch away from his second career goal, but upon review, it was determined that the puck didn't fully cross the line.
I'm no mathematician, but I don't think it can get any closer than that.
More than the points, though, is the poise. With a few minor exceptions, Sillinger has looked comfortable at the NHL level. Mistakes have been made, certainly, and he was benched in the third period in just the third game of the season. That came during Columbus' first loss of the season, a 4-1 defeat against the Detroit Red Wings. His response off the ice, per head coach Brad Larsen, was extremely mature.
"You don't know how an 18-year-old kid is going to respond (to being benched), especially against the team we were playing," said Larsen following the overtime win against the Islanders. The game not only had Sillinger's first goal, but was the game following the benching against Detroit.
"We had a good discussion about it. Again, he just shows his maturity."
There are numbers to back up Sillinger's maturity and comfort, too:
- He's held his own at the face off dot, winning 45% of his 60 draws.
- He has just one giveaway in over 100 minutes of ice time.
- He's number one on the team in expected goals per 60 minutes, at 1.35. Only four other Blue Jackets are over 1.00. Across the league, that's just ahead of John Tavares (1.33), Matthew Barzal (1.32), and Taylor (1.32). Not horrible company.
- The line of Gus Nyquist, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Sillinger have an expected goals tally of 3.36 per game, the second highest of any combination on the Blue Jackets that has spent at least ten minutes together this season.
If Wednesday is the end of the NHL for Sillinger this season, it will send the wrong message to the fans, the team, and most importantly, to Sillinger. The Blue Jackets can't afford that.
And neither can Sillinger.
