Columbus Blue Jackets · Center · Shoots L

Cole Sillinger

Age 23 · 6'0" · 203 lb · Born in Columbus, USA

Cap hit

$4.625M

4.4% of $104M cap

Term

3 yrs

Through 2028-29

Clause

M-NTC

10-team no-trade list

Surplus value

+$869K

vs. $5.494M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

20.0% shooting

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.50 per game

TOI/GP

14:21

PP 0:00 · PK 0:42

Plus/minus

Hits

Blocks 0

PIM

Game Score

+0.50

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	G	SOG	HIT	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Oct 3 vs UTA · L 4-1	0	2	0	13:21	0:00	0:17	—	40	1	1	0	+0.10
Oct 1 vs BUF · W 6-3	1	3	1	15:21	0:00	1:06	2-0	0	2	0	+2	+0.91
Apr 14 vs WSH · L 2-1	0	0	1	14:01	0:00	0:40	1-0	33	1	0	0	+0.06
Apr 12 vs BOS · L 3-2	0	2	1	11:58	0:00	0:00	—	50	0	0	+1	+0.36
Apr 11 @ MTL · W 5-2	0	4	4	17:23	0:14	1:15	—	80	0	0	0	+0.37

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,069 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%52.8%

74th percentile

Relative xGF%+1.5

66th percentile

HDCF%55.2%

79th percentile

CF%50.4%

63rd percentile

Relative CF%-0.5

47th percentile

FF%50.5%

60th percentile

GF%49.0%

47th percentile

CF/6059.8

70th percentile

CA/6058.9

38th percentile

ixG/600.92

48th percentile

Goals above expected-8.5

1st percentile

IPP51.1%

16th percentile

PDO99.3

46th percentile

OZS%49.7%

42nd percentile

Faceoff %41.4%

48 won · 68 lost (all strengths)

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play stylePlaymaking depth center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Sillinger moves the puck confidently and generates offense through his above-average speed and puck management rather than high-volume shooting. He struggles to create rush chances but contributes solid two-way play with decent forechecking and defensive responsibility.

Pass-firstPuck handlerResponsible 200-footer

Shooting volume: 62
Playmaking: 60
Zone entries(est.): 9
Forechecking: 61
Physicality: 60
Defensive impact: 56
Puck management: 74
Speed: 72

Where he shoots from

Slot 35% · Mid-range 48% · Perimeter 17%(195 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Excellent puck management at 74th percentile shows smart possession decisions
Speed ranks 72nd helps him transition play and position defensively
Solid playmaking at 60th percentile creates from mid-range efficiently

Watch-outs

Rush chance creation at 9th percentile is a clear weak spot
Shooting volume at 62nd percentile limits offensive ceiling despite decent finishing
Defensive impact at 56th percentile means he's about league average for a center

Similar style: Ryan Winterton (SEA), Shane Pinto (OTT)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	League	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2011-12	Brick Invitational	Saskatchewan Jr. Pats	6	0	2	2	—	0
2012-13	Brick Invitational	Saskatchewan Jr. Pats	6	3	3	6	—	2
2014-15	WSI U12	Pro Hockey Selects U12	9	10	7	17	—	4
2015-16	SAAHL U15	Regina Pat Blues U15 AA	1	0	0	0	—	0
2015-16	WSI U13	Pro Hockey Selects U13	9	12	5	17	—	6
2016-17	SAAHL U15	Regina Aces U15 AA	30	43	34	77	—	34
2016-17 (playoffs)	SAAHL U15	Regina Aces U15 AA	2	3	2	5	—	0
2017-18	CSSHL U15	Okanagan HA U15 Prep	30	46	37	83	—	36
2017-18	CSSHL U18	Okanagan HA White U18 Prep	3	1	1	2	—	0
2017-18	WSI U15	Western Canada Selects U15	8	5	11	16	—	6
2017-18 (playoffs)	CSSHL U15	Okanagan HA U15 Prep	3	4	3	7	—	2
2018-19	SMAAAHL	Regina Pat Canadians U18 AAA	39	31	45	76	—	44
2018-19	WHL	Medicine Hat Tigers	4	0	2	2	+1	0
2018-19	CWG	Team Saskatchewan	6	4	6	10	—	8
2018-19 (playoffs)	SMAAAHL	Regina Pat Canadians U18 AAA	8	4	7	11	—	24
2018-19 (playoffs)	WHL	Medicine Hat Tigers	6	1	0	1	-3	0
2019-20	WHL	Medicine Hat Tigers	48	22	31	53	+19	22
2019-20	WHC-17	Canada White U17	6	5	0	5	—	2
2020-21	USHL	Sioux Falls Stampede	31	24	22	46	+5	39
2021-22	NHL	Columbus Blue Jackets	79	16	15	31	-22	37
2021-22	WC	Canada	10	3	0	3	+2	8
2022-23	NHL	Columbus Blue Jackets	64	3	8	11	-23	22
2022-23	AHL	Cleveland Monsters	11	2	4	6	-1	12
2023-24	NHL	Columbus Blue Jackets	77	13	19	32	-4	46
2024-25	NHL	Columbus Blue Jackets	66	11	22	33	-11	35
2025-26	NHL	Columbus Blue Jackets	81	8	25	33	+2	37
2026-27	NHL	Columbus Blue Jackets	2	1	0	1	+2	4

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

Cole Sillinger, Charlie Coyle, And Mathieu Olivier Pick Up Where They Left Off Last Season
The Hockey News · Oct 2
Sabres Cannonballed by Columbus, Fall 6-3
diebytheblade.com · Oct 2
BUF@CBJ: Sillinger scores goal against Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
NHL.com · Oct 1
Cole Sillinger nets goal for Blue Jackets
ESPN · Oct 1

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

+0.2

+0.2CAR3/31

-0.1CAR4/2

+0.1

+0.1WPG4/4

+0.0

+0.0DET4/7

-0.1BUF4/9

+0.4

+0.4MTL4/11

+0.4

+0.4BOS4/12

+0.1

+0.1WSH4/14

+0.9

+0.9BUF10/1

+0.1

+0.1UTA10/3

Average +0.19 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.43 per game

2025-26 · 81 GP

Season total +34.8, or +0.43 per game.

Scoring: +23.1
Shooting: +10.2
5-on-5 goals: -0.3
Defense: +0.4
Penalty kill: +0.3
Physical play: +4.4
Puck battles: -1.4
Penalties: -1.7
Faceoffs: -0.2

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 22.7 mph; 73rd pct
20+ mph bursts: 146
Hardest shot: 87.0 mph; 63rd pct
Distance: 199.5 mi
OZ time: 40.3%; 25th pct
DZ time: 41.2%

Usage

Last game: vs UTA, Oct 3

Line 2 with Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivier (10:04 together at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 23: 99% of peak

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 23, forwards typically produce 99% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 25, when the typical level is 100%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

3 seasons left

Season	Team	Cap hit	% of cap
2026-27	CBJ	$4.625M	4.4%
2027-28	CBJ	$4.625M	4.1%
2028-29	CBJ	$4.625M	—

M-NTC (10-team list). $13.875M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).