Columbus has a way of making things feel personal, and for Cole Sillinger, this one hits even closer to home.
The Columbus-born forward signed a three-year, $13.875 million contract on Saturday, locking in his future with the Blue Jackets after finishing the season as a restricted free agent. For a player who has spent his life tied to the city, it was a natural fit - and one he never seemed to doubt would get done.
“The No. 1 thing is they believe in me,” Sillinger said of re-signing with Columbus. “I have connections in Columbus.
I was born in Columbus. Throughout this entire negotiation process, there was no doubt in my mind that something was going to get done.”
Sillinger’s path back to Columbus has always carried a little symmetry to it. He grew up around the game while following his father, Mike, a former Blue Jacket, but the franchise made the connection even tighter when it selected Cole 12th overall in the 2021 draft. Since then, he’s become one of the organization’s most reliable young pieces.
In five seasons with the Blue Jackets, Sillinger has appeared in 367 games, the most of any player from the 2021 draft class, and has put up 51 goals, 89 assists and 140 points. The 23-year-old missed only one game last season because of illness, otherwise giving Columbus a steady presence night after night. That kind of consistency matters for a team trying to push back toward the postseason.
The new deal also keeps both sides from heading into an arbitration hearing, a result that surely worked out well for everyone involved. Now Sillinger can turn his attention to preparing for the Blue Jackets’ new 84-game format and getting himself ready for camp.
“My focus right now is not necessarily where I'm going to be playing or who I'm playing with,” Sillinger said. “It’s just coming to camp with just the best preparation, best shape, the best mental state I can be (in), just bring the best version of me. And I think the way I see it, if everyone just brings the best version of them, then the Blue Jackets as a whole are closer to the best version of our team as we could be.”
That mindset fits the moment. Sillinger said he feels his career still has a lot left to give, and he didn’t hide the fact that he wants more from himself and from the group.
“Looking at my career to this point, I'd say it's probably more unfulfilling than fulfilling,” Sillinger said. “I know that there's more in there that I want to provide, and I know that collectively as a group, we expect more from ourselves.”
The bigger target, of course, is the same one every player chases: a playoff run and the chance to keep playing for something bigger. Columbus has come close in recent years, but Sillinger still hasn’t reached the postseason, and this contract keeps him in position to keep pursuing that first berth.
His return also fits into a busy summer for president of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell. Jet Greaves and Charlie Coyle have also signed extensions, helping Columbus hold onto important pieces of its roster.
Keeping Coyle and Sillinger together could preserve one of the club’s most effective lines from last season. Sillinger, Coyle and Mathieu Olivier formed a trio that could score and defend, and Sillinger made it clear he expects that group to keep raising its standard.
“Having the opportunity to be playing with (Olivier and Coyle) again, the expectation we're going to hold ourselves to is going to be even greater,” Sillinger said. “We made some good ground last year, but teams are just going to know more of what we can do. It's up to us to raise the bar and to bring that reliability and just everything we did last year, but on just another level.”
For Sillinger, the story circles back to the place where it started. Columbus has always been part of his life, and now it’s where his next chapter stays rooted. He’s not going anywhere - and he sounds ready to get back to work.
“Just super excited to get back (to Columbus),” Sillinger said. “I'm already itching.
It's been a long summer. We have a really tight locker room and a couple new faces to meet once we get down to camp and get things rolling.
But again, just super pumped up and excited to see the guys again and to create some chemistry.”
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