At the 2021 NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators were looking to hit the jackpot with the 10th overall pick in the draft. After solid players like Owen Power, Matty Berniers, Mason McTavish, Luke Hughes, Kent Johnson, William Eklund and Dylan Guenther were all drafted before the 10th overall pick, the Senators selected Tyler Boucher.
Drafting Boucher has been a mistake as the 21-year-old has yet to play an NHL game in his career. It hasn't helped that they passed on Wyatt Johnston, who fell to the Dallas Stars at 23rd overall. Johnston's 177 career points is the most among the 2021 draft class.
With Boucher underperforming big since being drafted, it's put more pressure on him and he could shake out to be one of the worst first-round draft picks in Senators history. Today, one player is making his presence known for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he was taken with the very next selection after Boucher.
Cole Sillinger has proved Senators wrong for passing on him
After the Senators drafted Boucher with the 10th overall pick, the 11th overall pick, which was held by the then Arizona Coyotes, was forfeited. That led to the Columbus Blue Jackets making the next selection at 12th overall. With that selection, the Blue Jackets selected Cole Sillinger.
Since being drafted by the Blue Jackets, Sillinger has played in four full seasons. After a disappointing 2022-23 season in which Sillinger recorded 11 points in 64 games, he's gotten better over the past two seasons.
In the 2023-24 season, Sillinger recorded a 32-point season. In the 2024-25 season, Sillinger set two new career-highs with 22 assists and 33 points. Sillinger's play helped the Blue Jackets be in the middle of the 2025 playoff race as they missed the playoffs by two points to the Montreal Canadiens.
Sillinger has recorded 107 career points since being drafted. In a stat that might sound shocking, Sillinger's career point total is the eighth most among the 2021 draft class (Eklund and Guenther each have 110 points, which is good for sixth most). Sillinger has recorded more points than Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hughes of the New Jersey Devils.
For Sillinger to have a steady career so far after the Senators passed on him, it shows as another mistake the Senators made. It could be unsure what Boucher's future could look like in Ottawa with underperforming.
While the Senators could be unsure of what to do with Boucher, Sillinger has been an important piece on the Blue Jackets roster. The Blue Jackets appear to be in good hands with Sillinger and Johnson helping out with the rebuild since being drafted in the same year.