Player Discussion: Cole Sillinger thread

[cbjthrowaway]

Brilliant is a bit of a stretch.

He's been much better and more noticeable, I'm happy to eat my words too but I'd like to see more than a couple weeks of good play before we forget all the bad of last year. Hopefully he keeps it up.

i think we can say "brilliant" now – played over 24 minutes last night matched up against the best first line in hockey, evened out an overtime penalty drawing a penalty on a high-danger chance, and has looked consistently dangerous. and the game before that, his line had a 11-3 scoring chance (and 6-0 high danger chance) advantage.

he's driving play, competing, playing tough minutes and starting to show his skill at game speed more than he has before.

 

[Napoli]

i think we can say "brilliant" now – played over 24 minutes last night matched up against the best first line in hockey, evened out an overtime penalty drawing a penalty on a high-danger chance, and has looked consistently dangerous. and the game before that, his line had a 11-3 scoring chance (and 6-0 high danger chance) advantage.

he's driving play, competing, playing tough minutes and starting to show his skill at game speed more than he has before.

Depends on your definition of brilliant.

That could mean a top 10 player in the league or simply the most inform player on the team.

I'd agree he's been our best forward of late but still want long term consistency. I'm very happy for Cole and will say I'm still skeptical long term.

 

[stevo61]

Depends on your definition of brilliant.

That could mean a top 10 player in the league or simply the most inform player on the team.

I'd agree he's been our best forward of late but still want long term consistency. I'm very happy for Cole and will say I'm still skeptical long term.

Played a brilliant game anyway you slice it though. Hes 20 so consistency wont be perfect but hes done what hes needed to do. Started as a player we begged to have sent down but has steadily improved and oozing confidence now. Vancouverwasnt on their A game yesterdaybut even so thats a tough task and he played a heck of a game

 

[Napoli]

Played a brilliant game anyway you slice it though. Hes 20 so consistency wont be perfect but hes done what hes needed to do. Started as a player we begged to have sent down but has steadily improved and oozing confidence now. Vancouverwasnt on their A game yesterdaybut even so thats a tough task and he played a heck of a game

Not disagreeing with you, his line with Johnny and Chinny just works. One sniper, one playmaker, one guy who does the little things.

 

[Xoggz22]

Shouldn't he still be in Cleveland working on his skating and because he's a NHL bust?

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Shouldn't he still be in Cleveland working on his skating and because he's a NHL bust?

i was told that prospect progress is linear!!!

 

[majormajor]

Shouldn't he still be in Cleveland working on his skating and because he's a NHL bust?

I've never called him a bust but since I led the call for him to go down and focus on the skating I'll respond to this.

Cole described last year as "just going through the motions", it was miserable for him and I don't think it was the ideal learning experience in many ways. I think he'd be better now if he had the experience of scoring frequently at the AHL level and developing his skating with their schedule. His skating is going to make it harder for him to consistently play like he has in recent games.

 

[Xoggz22]

I've never called him a bust but since I led the call for him to go down and focus on the skating I'll respond to this.

Cole described last year as "just going through the motions", it was miserable for him and I don't think it was the ideal learning experience in many ways. I think he'd be better now if he had the experience of scoring frequently at the AHL level and developing his skating with their schedule. His skating is going to make it harder for him to consistently play like he has in recent games.

Yeah, not specifically aimed at you. I agreed his skating needed (needs) help but there were many that were pretty strong that he was not going to recover or even possibly improve. My statement was more a point about just about every prospect (CBJ or other) that struggles in year two after a good rookie campaing. The NHL is hard. Early success can make it even harder to remain present.

 

[NotCommitted]

I'd say they've been pretty ruthless with Sillinger's development, he has been thrown to the wolves in a sink or swim fashion. I've got the feeling they are not so hung up on his upside and care more about getting a solid NHL player. I might be wrong, it could also be that was just their read on what's actually best for his development and they have such a great faith in his ability to adapt and grow that they felt there's no need to protect him. It's just while playing in the NHL above your head is not usually great for offense or confidence, it teaches you to survive against tough competition and it would seem to me bottom-6 or especially 4th line roles are a lot about that, just try to survive and keep it 0-0.

 

[Raistlin]

yeah last year when chatting with some CBJ fans, you guys are pretty down on his upside. Basically nothing more than a 3C. Has this changed? is there a road where he will be the 2C going forward behind Fantilli? while moving Jenner to wing or 3C?

 

[Marioesque]

yeah last year when chatting with some CBJ fans, you guys are pretty down on his upside. Basically nothing more than a 3C. Has this changed? is there a road where he will be the 2C going forward behind Fantilli? while moving Jenner to wing or 3C?

Yeah he has taken a serious step up and is now looking like a future 2nd line center. Offensive potential is starting to come out now and the 2 way game is reliable.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

yeah last year when chatting with some CBJ fans, you guys are pretty down on his upside. Basically nothing more than a 3C. Has this changed? is there a road where he will be the 2C going forward behind Fantilli? while moving Jenner to wing or 3C?

I still think he’s a 3C with offensive upside. His skating and lack of playmaking ability is going to restrict him as a point producer.

Our 2C of the future is probably not in the organization yet

 

[DarkandStormy]

Yeah he has taken a serious step up and is now looking like a future 2nd line center. Offensive potential is starting to come out now and the 2 way game is reliable.

???

He's on pace for 30ish points, same as his rookie season.

There are roughly 64 centers (labeled as such per NHL.com) on pace for 50 or more points this season in the entire league.

 

[Marioesque]

???

He's on pace for 30ish points, same as his rookie season.

There are roughly 64 centers (labeled as such per NHL.com) on pace for 50 or more points this season in the entire league.

I'm projecting his prime, which would be like 5+ years away.

For now he's a fine, developing 3rd C.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

10 goals now. Approaching his season 1 statline.

Is Cole back on the rails?

 

[EspenK]

Seems to me he is on track to be a 3rd line C. He probably is never going to be a star but he could very well be a solid player, the kind of which, a god team needs to be successful.

 

[VT]

Seems to me he is on track to be a 3rd line C. He probably is never going to be a star but he could very well be a solid player, the kind of which, a god team needs to be successful.

Something similar like Yanni Gourde for Tampa.

 

[DarkandStormy]

10 goals now. Approaching his season 1 statline.

Is Cole back on the rails?

Is trending towards ~30 points in his 3rd year in the league good? Like I guess he's proving he's not a total bust, but...

Would have preferred to see him have a Wyatt Johnston-like jump in his 2nd or 3rd year. Maybe he'll eventually get to ~40-45 point range.

 

[CBJx614]

Is trending towards ~30 points in his 3rd year in the league good? Like I guess he's proving he's not a total bust, but...

Would have preferred to see him have a Wyatt Johnston-like jump in his 2nd or 3rd year. Maybe he'll eventually get to ~40-45 point range.

He's 20 years old. Dude can't even legally go into a bar and order a drink until May.

The Russians are all 23, hell even KJ is older than Silly.

Just because he has 3 years in the league doesn't mean he should automatically have popped and breakout. He's looked a lot better in the second half of the season than he did early on. If he can continue his progression moving forward he'll be fine.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I'd say they've been pretty ruthless with Sillinger's development, he has been thrown to the wolves in a sink or swim fashion. I've got the feeling they are not so hung up on his upside and care more about getting a solid NHL player. I might be wrong, it could also be that was just their read on what's actually best for his development and they have such a great faith in his ability to adapt and grow that they felt there's no need to protect him. It's just while playing in the NHL above your head is not usually great for offense or confidence, it teaches you to survive against tough competition and it would seem to me bottom-6 or especially 4th line roles are a lot about that, just try to survive and keep it 0-0.

I've obviously been a harsh critic of the front office of this franchise for a long time, but.......

They may have done exactly the right thing with Sillinger. Your post is probably a very accurate assessment of the FO thinking on Sillinger. Last year was a lost year for the team and even though Sillinger had a crap year, he got some very valuable experience. I'm sure that he was projected to be more of a grinder by Jarmo & Co. so his lack of statistical accomplishment last year probably wasn't much of a concern to them-and evidently correctly so if this was their thinking.

He's obviously not going to be a star. But he has shown a much higher level of play this year than last. I've made reference to his dad, Mike, before in discussions about Sillinger. His dad carved out a very long NHL career as a "lower in the line up" type of player and it looks to me that this is the path of his son as well.

I don't have any idea if Cole will last near as long as his dad did in the NHL:Mike Sillinger Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com. Probably not because dad had a very long career.

Dad played in over 1000 NHL games and was a 0.5 PPG type of player. Son looks like he's tracking dad's career at this point. He can skate at the NHL level. While he's certainly no McDavid, I don't sense the major deficiencies in his skating that others here do. His skating isn't going to take him out of the league at this point.

 

[Cheddarcheese]

crazy to think by the time Cole is in his prime ( 27-28 ) he could have 800 games played

 

[VT]

He's 20 years old. Dude can't even legally go into a bar and order a drink until May.

The Russians are all 23, hell even KJ is older than Silly.

Just because he has 3 years in the league doesn't mean he should automatically have popped and breakout. He's looked a lot better in the second half of the season than he did early on. If he can continue his progression moving forward he'll be fine.

Still one thing, 5x5:

Sillinger 54 9 goals 21 points
------
Marchenko 57 10 goals 21 points
Chinakhov 47 14 goals 26 points
Voronkov 53 11 goals 24 points

Cole is playing great on SH. He's pretty underrated in my opinion. I don't know if he'll be a 2C, but I know he can be an excellent 3C, tough player with excellent defense, play without the puck, a player who has some offensive qualities. Players like that are worth their weight in gold, because if any team wants to win the Stanley Cup, they can't do without them.

 

[majormajor]

Cole is playing great on SH.

Shorthanded? No.

We have by far the worst PK in the NHL over the last 3 months and Cole Sillinger has the worst goals against performance in that span of any player in the entire league! GA/60 above 13!

 

[VT]

Shorthanded? No.

We have by far the worst PK in the NHL over the last 3 months and Cole Sillinger has the worst goals against performance in that span of any player in the entire league! GA/60 above 13!

According to the eye test, it seemed pretty good to me. Of course for his age because no one can compare him to experienced PK specialists yet.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Shorthanded? No.

We have by far the worst PK in the NHL over the last 3 months and Cole Sillinger has the worst goals against performance in that span of any player in the entire league! GA/60 above 13!

forwards, famously, are the position best known for preventing goals in 4v5 situations.

cole sillinger is a capable penalty killer. the pk unit has been disgracefully bad over the last few months for a bunch of reasons that have little to nothing to do with him.