Cole Sillinger Bio
Cole Sillinger (born May 16, 2003) is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected 12th overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, he has been a regular in the Columbus lineup since making his NHL debut in 2021. Standing 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) and weighing 201 lb (91 kg), Sillinger shoots left and represents Canada internationally despite being raised in Canada and born in the United States.
The son of former NHL forward Mike Sillinger, Cole grew up around professional hockey and quickly built a résumé of his own through the Western Hockey League and the United States Hockey League before becoming one of the youngest regulars on the Blue Jackets roster. He remains a central part of Columbus’s long-term plans heading into the 2025 season.
Early Life and Background
Cole Sillinger was born in Columbus, Ohio on May 16, 2003, the third son of Karla (née Dreger) Sillinger and former NHL forward Mike Sillinger. Mike Sillinger was playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets at the time of Cole’s birth, which gave the family direct ties to the organization that would later draft his son. The family later moved as Mike’s career continued, briefly residing in Phoenix, Arizona, St. Louis, Missouri, and Garden City, New York, following stints with the Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and New York Islanders.
After his father’s playing days wound down, the Sillinger family settled in Regina, Saskatchewan, where Cole grew up and began developing his game. He grew up in a hockey household with two older brothers who also play. Owen Sillinger is a member of the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets’ American Hockey League affiliate, while Lukas Sillinger skates for Arizona State University’s program. Although born in the United States, Cole represents Hockey Canada at the international level.
Path to Professional Hockey
Sillinger’s junior path began in 2018 when he was selected 11th overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft. He debuted with the Tigers that same season, appearing in 4 games during 2018–19 and recording two assists. In 2019–20, Sillinger became a major offensive contributor, finishing fourth in team scoring with 22 goals and 53 points across 48 appearances, establishing himself as one of the WHL’s top young talents.
When the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the Western Hockey League’s 2020–21 season, Medicine Hat loaned Sillinger to the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League. He flourished in the USHL, leading the Stampede in points with 24 goals and 46 points in 31 games. His performance earned him the 2021 USHL Rookie of the Year award by unanimous vote of the league’s general managers, along with selection to the USHL First All-Rookie Team and the USHL Third All-Star Team. Heading into the 2021 NHL Draft, NHL Central Scouting ranked him the 10th-best North American skater.
Cole Sillinger Career
Early Career (2018–2021)
Cole Sillinger’s first notable steps in organized top-level junior hockey came with the Medicine Hat Tigers. After a brief four-game debut in 2018–19, he broke out offensively in 2019–20, becoming one of the Tigers’ most productive forwards and showcasing the scoring touch and hockey sense that would soon attract NHL attention. His development in Medicine Hat laid the foundation for the rest of his career.
The 2020–21 season, spent with the Sioux Falls Stampede, became the bridge to the NHL. Sillinger’s 24-goal, 46-point campaign not only led the Stampede in scoring but also earned him USHL Rookie of the Year honors, signaling to scouts that he was ready to make the jump to professional hockey. By the time the 2021 NHL Draft arrived, Sillinger had cemented his status as a top prospect.
NHL Debut and Blue Jackets Breakthrough (2021–2024)
On July 23, 2021, the Columbus Blue Jackets selected Cole Sillinger 12th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, reuniting him with the organization his father once played for. He quickly made the leap to the NHL, becoming a regular in the Columbus lineup during his rookie season and demonstrating the two-way center profile that scouts had praised throughout his draft year. His ability to contribute offensively while handling defensive responsibilities helped him carve out a top-nine role on the Blue Jackets.
One of the defining moments of his early NHL career came on March 13, 2022, when Sillinger recorded his first career NHL hat-trick in a 6–4 win against the Vegas Golden Knights. The performance announced his arrival as a goal-scoring threat at the highest level and remains one of the most memorable individual games of his young career. He continued to develop through his sophomore and third NHL seasons, growing into a reliable middle-of-the-lineup center for Columbus.
Columbus Blue Jackets Era (2024–Present)
On August 21, 2024, the Columbus Blue Jackets rewarded Sillinger’s development by signing him to a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension, carrying an annual average value of $2.25 million through the 2025–26 season. The deal reflected the organization’s confidence in him as a long-term building block and provided stability for both player and club heading into a new phase of the franchise’s rebuild.
Entering the 2025–26 campaign, Sillinger remains a fixture in the Blue Jackets’ top-six forward group. His combination of size, skating, and offensive instincts makes him a focal point of the team’s push for a more competitive standing in the Metropolitan Division. With his contract secured and his role expanding, Sillinger’s role within the locker room continues to grow in importance.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the ice, Cole Sillinger is recognized for his mature two-way game, strong skating, and responsible defensive play from the center position. He is effective in the faceoff circle, dependable on the penalty kill, and capable of producing offense both as a finisher and as a playmaker. Coaches have leaned on him in all situations, valuing his hockey IQ and work ethic as much as his offensive numbers.
Notable Events and Milestones
Sillinger’s first NHL hat-trick against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 13, 2022, stands as a signature milestone of his early career. Being drafted 12th overall by the Blue Jackets in 2021, winning USHL Rookie of the Year in 2021, and signing his two-year extension in 2024 are the other key benchmarks that have shaped his trajectory in the NHL.
Cole Sillinger Career Wins
Cole Sillinger’s competitive résumé is anchored by individual awards and memorable NHL performances. While he has yet to capture a major NHL trophy, his trophy case already includes the 2021 USHL Rookie of the Year award, and he has produced several notable offensive outputs at the junior and professional levels, including a hat-trick against the Vegas Golden Knights in 2022.
Junior and Professional Highlights
During the 2019–20 WHL season, Sillinger tallied 22 goals and 53 points in 48 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers, finishing fourth in team scoring. The following year, he led the Sioux Falls Stampede with 24 goals and 46 points in 31 USHL games on his way to Rookie of the Year honors. In the NHL, his most celebrated single-game performance remains the hat-trick he scored against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 13, 2022, in a 6–4 Blue Jackets victory.
Other Wins and Performances
Sillinger has been a steady producer and responsible two-way presence for the Blue Jackets since his rookie season, and he has been a regular in the team’s lineup through multiple NHL campaigns. He also represented Canada at the international level, building on a junior résumé that included the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft and the 2021 USHL postseason honors.
Cole Sillinger Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cole Sillinger comes from a deeply hockey-rooted family. His father, Mike Sillinger, played more than 1,000 games in the NHL as a forward across multiple organizations, including the Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and New York Islanders. His mother, Karla (née Dreger) Sillinger, raised the family as Mike’s career took them across North America. Cole’s two older brothers, Owen and Lukas Sillinger, both play hockey, with Owen in the Blue Jackets’ AHL system and Lukas competing at the collegiate level with Arizona State University.
Personal Life
Cole Sillinger grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, after moving there with his family following his father’s NHL career. He is in a relationship with singer and dancer Tate McRae, and the couple has been publicly linked in entertainment and sports media. Sillinger currently resides in Columbus, Ohio, the same city where he was born and where he plays in the NHL.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year is shaping up as an important stretch for Cole Sillinger and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Coming off the two-year, $4.5 million extension signed in August 2024, Sillinger enters the new NHL season as a confirmed top-six center and a key piece of the team’s competitive core. The Blue Jackets are aiming to take a step forward in the Metropolitan Division, and Sillinger’s production will be central to those ambitions.
Early results in 2025 have given Columbus reason for optimism, with Sillinger contributing offensively and logging important minutes in all situations. His chemistry with linemates and his responsibilities on both the power play and penalty kill remain points of emphasis for the coaching staff, and his two-way consistency is expected to play a major role in any postseason push.
Looking ahead through the rest of 2025 and into the 2025–26 season, Sillinger’s outlook is firmly tied to the Blue Jackets’ broader trajectory. With a stable contract, a defined role, and a track record of milestones already in hand, he represents both the present and the future of the franchise as Columbus continues its rebuild.
