SvoNotes: Sillinger has his eyes on continued improvement

Cole Sillinger is a bit of a unicorn when it comes to his contemporaries.

When he skated in his 200th career game March 5 at Pittsburgh, he did so at 20 years, 294 days old – and accomplished something that hadn’t been done in the NHL since 2019.

While reaching his milestone total, Sillinger became the first NHL player since Patrik Laine on Jan. 13, 2019, to play in 200 games before reaching the age of 21. In fact, just 11 other active NHL players – a list that includes such superstars as Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Steven Stamkos – outside of Sillinger accomplished the feat before they could legally have a drink in the United States.

But as you might imagine, even though it’s a cool fact, it’s not exactly at the forefront of Sillinger’s mind. What it represents, though, is a childhood dream of a former NHL player coming true.

"It’s something I don’t even think about, honestly,” he said. “Every day you get to play an NHL game, it’s another opportunity. It’s just something that I’m obviously super grateful for.

“Ever since I was a kid, I didn’t want to do anything else other than play hockey. Now that I’m living my dream, it’s super special, and the first 200 (included) a lot of things that I needed to learn. It was very wavy, up and down – which is normal, I guess. I’m looking forward to paying a lot more games.”

Sillinger was certainly right about the ups and downs thus far. He burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old in 2021-22, scoring 16 goals and being the only player from his draft class to play the entire season in the NHL. He then went through about as cold a streak as possible a season ago, going more than half a season without a goal and ending the campaign in the minor leagues.

This year, after an offseason of reflection and training, he’s back on track. Sillinger’s game has gotten better and better throughout the season, and he’s currently playing his best hockey, including a hat trick Jan. 6 vs. Minnesota and a recent career-best three-game goal streak. The center has posted an 11-14-25 line in 61 games this season while playing a career-high 15:27 per game, including a stint earlier this season when he was on the team’s top line.

On top of that, he's playing a complete game, chipping in on the penalty kill and becoming more and more of a physical presence. 

"I’m just playing hockey, right?” he said. “I know I’m a good player. I know what I’m capable of. I know what type of player I want to be for this organization. I think there’s times where I demand more of myself. I know I can produce more than what I’ve produced already or what I’m producing now. I know I can be relied upon in all situations, and that’s what I’m working toward. That’s what I want to do.”

In a cutthroat sport like hockey, sometimes confidence can be the great differentiator between good play and bad, and the first part of Sillinger’s answer makes it clear he’s playing with swagger recently. It’s caught the attention of head coach Pascal Vincent, who isn’t exactly surprised given hockey is the family business.

Sillinger’s father, Mike, played for 12 NHL teams in a 17-year career; his brother, Owen, is in his second season with the Jackets’ AHL team in Cleveland; and another brother, Lukas, is currently tied for ninth in NCAA hockey in scoring.

“I’m thinking about the confidence part, where is it coming from?” Vincent said. “He’s coming from a hockey family. He’s been around an NHL dressing room his whole life. Even this first year here, he walked in that room and it was like déjà vu. He’s a physical, strong man so physically he has no fear. He knows he can compete against anyone. But I think the big thing that he does is his preparation; his confidence comes from his preparation.”

It’s a welcome change from a season ago, when Sillinger scored only three goals among his 11 points in 64 games and went down to the Monsters at the end of the campaign to try to help the team make the playoffs.

Confidence wasn’t quite at the same level a year ago, but Sillinger took the hard lessons from the campaign and has applied them this season.

"It’s a wakeup call, not only at the rink, but just the things you do away from the rink, the little habits of learning to become a full complete pro,” Sillinger said of last season. "That’s something where I grew a lot over the past three years is wanting to be that pro away from the rink, not get in your own head about things. Just for sure, I learned a lot last year.”

The Blue Jackets have never wavered in their belief the 2021 first-round draft pick is a huge building block in the team’s future, and in year three, he’s continued to pay off that trust. The sky is the limit if Sillinger stays on his current track, and Vincent agrees.

"The way he’s playing right now, I would say it’s not just good for the NHL, it’s the right fit for the Blue Jackets,” Vincent said. “He represents what we’re trying to do, the style of game we want to play. That’s a good step for the organization.”

Provorov Says Thanks for the Toys

Near the midpoint of warmups before Blue Jackets game, it’s a common sight to see Ivan Provorov skate to the boards, toss a stick over the glass and receive ... something colorful in return.

Many fans seem to have gotten the message that Provorov and his fiancée Madison are the owners of a mighty popular golden retriever named Drake. Or, more accurately, Drake the Pupstar, who happens to have more than 1.4 million followers on TikTok and another 500,000-plus on Instagram.

Drake has tons of personality and loves to show it, and fans have caught on. So, throughout the season, many have come to Nationwide Arena – or even to road venues – with toys for Drake, in the hope Provorov notices during the 16-minute warmup session.

Provorov has a keen eye, and he’s often seen skating over to glass to make the exchange and then back to the bench with a toy in his hand pregame.

“It’s been happening, honestly, thought the whole year,” Provorov said recently. “We probably have over 20 toys, if not more. I guess people really enjoy watching Drake and Maddie and their videos and Drake on the ice and stuff like that, so Maddie gets a lot of sweet messages saying even through a tough day, Drake and their page makes it a lot better. We’re glad we’re able to cheer them up.

“If that’s how people want to show their appreciation, we are very thankful, and Drake enjoys all the toys he gets.”

We’re not necessarily encouraging fans to keep bringing toys – Drake can play with only so many, of course – but the Provorovs clearly appreciate the generosity of fans who have taken an interest in their dog.

Provorov said the most popular thing he’s received throughout the year is a stuffed lamb – or as Drake knows it as, a “lamby” – that is one of his favorite toys. On the other hand, one of the most interesting toys he’s received was a large stuffed banana tossed over the glass last week at Nationwide Arena.

“The banana was something different,” Provorov said with a laugh. “A lot of people bring lambies because Drake since he was little has been obsessed with this lamb toy, and they sell them at a lot of different pet stores. A lot of people bring those, but sometimes people bring something different. I think the banana so far has been the most unique one.”

Drake’s popularity – including his appearance in a Bally Sports Ohio segment a few weeks ago – has been a fun ride for Provorov and his fiancée, and he says his favorite part is it helps normalize the life of a hockey player to the average fan.

“I’m sure people appreciate Drake and all the fun memories that he brings to people, but also I think in a way it helps people associate with us,” he said. “We go home, we play with our dogs, we have a normal life. I think it helps people get a perspective that we’re just like them, and they’re just like us. It could bring someone in and make them a fan for life.”