Blue Jackets sign Owen Sillinger, Cole Clayton to one-year contracts
Like everyone in the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets had a very busy day, and they added a pair of signings to the pile in the early evening.
The first signing was for forward Owen Sillinger, who signed a one-year, two-way contract.
A Silly free agency day! 🤪
We've signed F Owen Sillinger to a one-year, two-way contract.
📝https://t.co/VCtTzKP9IA @RuoffMortgage | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/70eoWpkYeI
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 1, 2024
The 26-year-old Sillinger scored 11 goals and 29 assists for 40 points in 69 games in 2023-24 with the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets AHL affiliate. Through 158 career AHL games, he’s scored 25 goals and 60 assists for 85 points and 130 penalty minutes.
Before turning pro, Sillinger scored 51 goals and 64 assists for 115 points in 134 games with Bemidji State Univeristy in the NCAA. Serving as team captain in his senior season, he set career highs with 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points in 39 games in 2021-22.
The other signing was defenseman Cole Clayton, signed to a one-year, entry-level contract.
We've signed D Cole Clayton to a 1 year entry level contract.
Congrats Cowboy! 🤠
📝 https://t.co/a3WaVadEYu@RuoffMortgage | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/LlpZCJ0grC
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 1, 2024
The 24-year-old Clayton had five goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 59 games in 2023-24 with the Monsters. Through 161 career AHL games, Clayton has 11 goals and 35 assists for 46 points and 104 penalty minutes.
He first joined the Monsters in June 2021.
Before turning professional, Clayton had 17 goals and 71 assists for 88 points and 129 penalty minutes in 214 career games with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, between 2017-18 and 2020-21. He led the team defense in goals and points in his final season, scoring nine goals and 21 assists for 30 points in 23 games.