Columbus Blue Jackets' Cole Sillinger 'fighting it' with slow start to second NHL season
Cole Sillinger is familiar with the term “sophomore slump,” after hearing it from Blue Jackets teammates and coaches prior to this season.
He just doesn’t see why it should be anything to worry about.
“When that term, ‘second-year slump,’ comes up, it just bothers me,” said Sillinger, a 19-year old center who had 16 goals as a rookie last season and was the only member of the 2021 NHL draft to play in the league from start to finish. “I don’t really see it that way. There’s no reason for those things to happen. I mean, it’s the very start of our season and I don’t anticipate it being any harder. It’s still going to be hard. Nothing’s going to be given to you. You’ve got to earn everything and I’m looking to do that this year.”
Thus far, it's been an uphill slog.
Sillinger is struggling to start his NHL sophomore season and it started on the first day of training camp with a "minor" upper-body injury in practice that forced him to miss the most physically and mentally grueling portions of the preseason. Upon his return, it took a little time to get his skating legs back and he then had what could’ve been a “goal of the year” entry in the season-opener at the Carolina Hurricanes nullified by a coaching challenge for offside.
Sillinger’s incredible solo effort to beat the Hurricanes’ entire penalty-killing unit, including top goaltender Frederik Andersen, was reversed on a review decision and he hasn’t sniffed the net much since. Going into a game against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena, Sillinger doesn’t have a goal or assist in the first seven games.
That's not how he'd envisioned the start of this season going after putting in a lot of work in the offseason in the gym and on the ice. Sillinger’s stats, however, aren’t the primary concern for coach Brad Larsen. More important is how Sillinger, the Jackets’ 12th overall pick in 2021, is impacting the game outside of goals and assists.
Cole Sillinger 'fighting it' for Columbus Blue Jackets
On that front, Sillinger looked more like his rookie form in the Blue Jackets’ 5-1 road victory Sunday over the New York Rangers, but there's plenty of room for growth. Sillinger was noticeable in a positive way, centering an effective third line with fellow first-rounders Yegor Chinakhov (2020) and Liam Foudy (2018), but the goal is doing it consistently.
Sillinger is no longer an unknown entity. Opposing teams learned all about him last season and know what to expect when he’s on the ice now. Larsen, however, feels the biggest challenge is in Sillinger's mind. It’s not easy for players to handle increased expectations, no matter their age, so what he's now experiencing isn't too surprising.
It’s a test of character most NHL players must pass, and Sillinger is staring it in the face at age 19.
“Whatever you do your first year really sets the bar for your second year,” Larsen said. “You score 16 (goals) and I think he was around 30 points (last season), so now, in your mind, it’s like, ‘Well, now I need 20 (goals),’ and it doesn’t just happen. … It’s our job to try and help him through it and kind of set the compass for him a bit.”
The good news is that it's still very early in the season and Sillinger's determination remains steadfast.
"I feel like the whole year last year, there were a lot of ups, a lot of downs," he said. "There were times when I felt I was getting a lot of opportunities to help out offensively and there were stretches where I didn’t think I was doing that enough. This year, I just want to be consistent in all three zones and be the reliable player that I know I can be.”
Columbus Blue Jackets cannon fodder
The Blue Jackets are dealing with a slew of injuries. Patik Laine (sprained elbow) and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (hip) remain on injured reserve, while forward Justin Danforth and defenseman Nick Blankenburg left with upper-body injuries in the past two games. Danforth, injured in the first period of the Jackets’ 6-3 loss Saturday to the Pittsburgh Penguins, is out “indefinitely,” and Blankenburg’s status after he was injured Sunday against the Rangers wasn’t known as of Tuesday morning. … The Blue Jackets recalled defenseman Gavin Bayreuther on Monday from the Cleveland Monsters.
Get more Columbus Blue Jackets coverage on the Cannon Fodder podcast
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger battling slow start
