The Columbus Blue Jackets avoided arbitration by reaching an agreement to sign forward Cole Sillinger to a three-year, $13.875 million contract, the team announced Saturday.
The 23-year-old Sillinger opted for arbitration earlier this month, with the agreement reached before his scheduled hearing Monday. Sillinger, the team's first-round pick in the 2021 draft, is from Columbus and has five years of NHL experience.
"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," Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "He has played a lot of games in this league at a very young age, and we are excited about his future and his contributions to our organization."
Sillinger was a fixture on the Blue Jackets' third line in making the switch from center to left wing last season and tied his career high with 33 points (8 goals, 25 assists). Overall, he has 51 goals and 140 points in 367 career games.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.