"He has a heavy shot, heavy release and he’s got the timing and the courage to get to scoring areas,”
With the WHL season delayed, Sillinger decamped from the Medicine Hat Tigers and headed south to the USHL. Frankly, it was a huge win for the Sioux Falls Stampede.
“He came into the league and was big-time,” said one scout. “He single-handedly put Sioux Falls back into the playoff picture. His offensive stick, his shot and his release are pro. His compete is up and down, but when he’s involved and on pucks, he’s big-time. If there’s one eyesore it’s the skating, but it’s functional and not as bad as some people think. He’s a high-end player.”
Sillinger is the son of former NHLer Mike Sillinger, and his older brothers, Owen and Lukas, play for Bemidji State. Despite playing only two-thirds of the schedule, Sillinger led Sioux Falls in scoring. “He has a heavy shot, heavy release and he’s got the timing and the courage to get to scoring areas,” said another scout. “He’s a pure goal-scorer, and he’s six-feet, but he’s jacked. He is a strong, powerful guy. And he’s got some bite, he’s not just a scorer. He needs to pick up his skating and play faster, but he’s impressive. I’ve enjoyed having him in the league.”
Sillinger will return to Medicine Hat next season.