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2021 NHL Entry Draft Prospect Preview
Cole Sillinger (F)
Age: 18
Height: 6’0
Weight: 201 lbs
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Current Team: Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
You want a bigger body and offence, then Cole Sillinger seems to fit that need. The USHL prospect clocks in at over 200 lbs, can score, throw the body around and doesn’t mind a little time in the penalty box. He’s currently a member of the Sioux Falls Stampede and is a very interesting draft prospect.
In his first full season in the USHL, Sillinger played in 31 games and piled up 46 points (24 G, 22 A) and collected 39 PIM, all while managing to finish as a +5. That 46 point total was good for 19th overall in the league in 2020-21, but his 24 goals were the 9th best for the season. Prior to his stint with Sioux Falls, his best season came in 2019-20 as a member of the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL). In his first full season in the WHL he scored 22 goals and dished out 31 assists for a 53 point total in only 48 games. Despite being born in Columbus Ohio, Sillinger is a Canadian citizen and played in six games for the Canada U17 team and five goals in that short run with the team.
Experts are undecided on the big forward as the 2021 NHL Entry Draft approaches. Cole Sillinger is ranked anywhere from as high as the 11th best prospect to as low as the 20th best prospect. That’s a wide gap, but does put him right in the Flames wheelhouse as they are picking #12. He also has some NHL pedigree as his father Mike Sillinger was the #11 overall pick in the 1989 NHL Draft and played in 1,049 NHL games and finished his career with 548 points.