The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the midst of an offseason restructure under new general manager Don Wadell. After trading Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens, the Blue Jackets signed young forward Cole Sillinger to a two-year deal.
The deal is worth $2.25 million per season and will take Sillinger through his 22nd season. He was the 12th pick in 2021 and made the first team immediately at age 18. After a massive slump in his second year, he had his best season in 2023-24. Sillinger had a career-high 19 assists and 32 points last season, in addition to scoring 13 goals.
The Blue Jackets had a brutal year in 2023-24, finishing last in the Metropolitan Division. Pascal Vincent was fired as head coach after just one season and replaced by Dean Evason. They brought in Sean Monahan, in part to take the pressure off Sillinger.
Although Sillinger is a promising prospect, he showed last year that he wasn’t ready to play first-line center. This contract is a “prove it” deal. He will play midfield and should produce better points this year. Sean Monahan was signed to play first-line center alongside his former teammate on the Calgary Flames, Johnny Gaudreau.
What can fans expect from the Blue Jackets this season with Sillinger in the mix and Laine out? Although last season was a down year, they could make the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in an open Eastern Conference.
Blue Jackets Expectations for 2024-25
Former Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell took on a big task when he left Carolina to take the Blue Jackets job. They finished in last place despite having big salaries and star players. Gaudreau has been particularly disappointing since joining the team, and if they want to have success as a team, start with him.
Gaudreau signed a seven-year contract worth $9.75 million per year before the 2022 season. Since joining the Blue Jackets, he has had two of his worst seasons, which is one of the reasons the team is struggling. Gaudreau has scored just 32 goals in those two seasons, the lowest two-season total of his career.
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The Blue Jackets have also had trouble keeping the puck out of their net. They have allowed the second-most goals in the league despite having Elvis Merzlikins on the roster despite his $5.4 million salary. If they want to pursue a wild card spot, he will need to turn his career around and return to his rookie form when he finished fifth in the Vezina Trophy voting.
Sillinger is a key player for the Blue Jackets going forward. If he does well in a middle-six role on this contract, he could be promoted back to the front line very soon. He is a young and promising star and should be the face of the franchise player in Columbus. With Adam Fantilli, David Jiricek and Cayden Lindstrom all coming as top-six picks, the future should look very bright for the Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets may not make the playoffs this season, but a great year from their highly paid forwards and young talent will give them a great future in Columbus.
