There’s no question that the New Jersey Devils are in win-now mode, but how long their window can last remains to be seen.
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Of course, the most effective way to prolong that window is to properly develop a multitude of NHL-caliber prospects. There are already a few promising candidates, including but not limited to: Lenni Hameenaho, Arseny Gritsyuk, Mikhail Yegorov and Shane Lachance.
Now, a new name is entering the fold and appears to be making a hefty push towards the upper echelon of Devils’ prospects: Daniil Orlov, a 21-year-old, 6-foot-1 left-shot defenseman drafted by the Devils in the fourth round (#110 overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Orlov’s on Fire
While not overly big or physical, Orlov was always an intriguing prospect based on his defensive prowess alone. He skates extremely well and profiles as an above-average puck mover; he was third on his Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) team (Spartak Moskva) last season with a plus-16 rating.
Aside from the obvious question on how his defensive success could translate to the NHL one day, some also wondered if he could develop enough of an offensive skillset to raise his ceiling. It’s only been 13 games, but the young defenseman has certainly shown that.
After notching 15 points in 52 games last season, he now has 10 points in the 13 he’s played so far. That’s right: the 21-year-old is on pace for 52 points, which would make him just the third KHL defenseman in the last six years to do so.
Obviously, that type of production is likely unsustainable, but the massive growth is promising nonetheless, especially for someone so young. He’s tied for third in U23 KHL scoring, just behind two forward prospects in Nashville’s Yegor Surin and Chicago’s Roman Kantserov.
He’s displayed an ability to activate offensively way more frequently. His shot has also improved from ‘eh’ to respectable. And he certainly looks faster this season.
He also deserves bonus points in future prospect rankings for his celly game. I mean, look at this:
2022 4th rounder Daniil Orlov has his first goal of the KHL season.
— Devils Insiders (@DevilsInsiders) September 16, 2025
and what a celly, lmao. pic.twitter.com/8MPhN2M3YU
He’s played an average of 20:38 this season and contrary to what is reasonably assumed for this sort of performance uptick, it’s not a shooting heater. He’s shooting 7.1%, which is right around where he’s been for his career. The difference is that he’s shown an improved ability to get pucks through to the net, leading to a career-high 2.2 shots per game.
While there is no word on when he’ll come over to North America, there may be some openings on the Devils’ left side in the near future. Brenden Dillon becomes a free agent following the 2026-27 season, and Jonas Siegenthaler one year after that.
2024 10th overall pick Anton Silayev has been struggling as he’s point-less through 13 games. While there’s certainly time for the highly touted 6-foot-7 prospect to grow into his frame and become an NHLer, it’s not a guarantee. So simply put: having Orlov turn into a legitimate NHLer would do wonders for the future of the Devils.
At the very least, even if he doesn’t pan out to become a top four defenseman, Orlov can still be a reliable bottom-pair defenseman who can hold the opposition at bay. You likely won’t be holding your breath when he’s in the lineup.
And if he reaches his ceiling, he can be a top-pair reliable defensive defenseman with a sneaky-good offensive touch…someone who would serve as a perfect counterpart to an elite offensive defenseman. Of course, if a left-shot defenseman whose name rhymes with ‘Win Cruise’ happens to enter the fold for the Devils, Orlov’s situation might be a little different regardless. But that’s a problem Devils fans would love to have.
There’s no such thing as too many promising prospects. The Devils have to be super pleased with the early signs from Orlov.
