Blue Jackets, Sillinger avoid arbitration with three-year, $13.875M deal

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Cole Sillinger averted the uncertainty of arbitration by reaching a three-year contract agreement worth $13.875 million total, announced Saturday before Sillinger's scheduled arbitration hearing Monday, according to ESPN.

Sillinger, 23, is a homegrown asset for Columbus. The Blue Jackets selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft, and he is from Columbus itself. He has five years of NHL experience and has been a steady third-line contributor for the team.

Last season, Sillinger moved from center to left wing and became a fixture on the third line. He tied his career high with 33 points (8 goals, 25 assists), per ESPN. Over his 367 career games, Sillinger has 51 goals and 140 points total. Earlier this month, Sillinger opted for arbitration as a way to resolve his contract dispute with the club, per ESPN's reporting.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell endorsed the deal in a statement carried by ESPN: "Cole is a hard-working, reliable two-way forward who plays the game the right way, has outstanding character and continues to grow and improve."

Avoiding arbitration allowed both sides to sidestep the expense and unpredictability of a hearing while keeping Sillinger under contract for three additional seasons. The specific year-by-year salary breakdown and how the agreed-upon deal compares to Sillinger's arbitration ask were not disclosed.