With the 10th pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the New Jersey Devils have selected Anton Silayev from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)
About Anton Silayev
One of the earliest risers in the 2024 NHL Draft class was none other than Anton Silayev. At 6-foot-7 and 207 pounds, he is a massive defensive defenseman who put up minutes that were previously never seen before for an age-17 player in the KHL. By a landslide, he holds the games played (63) record among players his age and also the points record (11), albeit not creating at a high-end level to score those points. He doesn’t have the same stranglehold among draft-year KHL players throughout history, but the point is that his usage was unprecedented.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
There are things for Silayev to work on, but he projects to be strong in his own zone and perhaps provide some scoring upside with that if he develops. He has some incredible boom potential, so it’ll be interesting to see what comes of him. He has the tools and especially the size to be a dominant first-pairing player in the NHL but could also never make that jump as other big defensemen have shown in the past.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Anton Silayev is an excellent defensive defenseman who has been an absolute force in big minutes for his team in the KHL (Russia’s best pro league) this season, despite him not turning 18 until April. He was relatively unknown before this season, but broke out in a big way in a full time KHL spot this Fall, immediately jumping into the first round and even the top-10 conversation.
“Silayev has played an important role at even strength and on the power play for Torpedo Novgorod this year, and that role has only grown throughout the season despite his production drying up a bit. He’s not the most talented puck carrier, but he can make solid outlet passes after retrieving the puck in his own end and has a pretty accurate wrist shot from long range. Silayev will likely gain some strength as he grows into his massive frame, and that could go a long way in making his wrister and slap shot a good bit heavier.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
“His poise and work ethic are really positive traits as well, as he goes on the ice to work hard and try to win games. Silayev isn’t the flashiest player, and doesn’t cheat for offense, instead trying to find the best possible play he can make without compromising any dangerous chances in the other direction.
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Devils’ Plans
To complement their young, talented roster, the Devils add some size with Silayev. He has some work to do in order to develop, but he can be an excellent top-four defenseman for them in the long term. Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec could be studs on the back end in the future, so Silayev is just yet another piece to their puzzle.
The Devils have what it takes to be competitive in both the present and the future. They have a fantastic long-term plan, as their current roster is very young with a lot of potential. He has the size to give the Devils an elite shutdown defenseman when, really, they don’t have one at this very moment. This was a solid pick for them.