Prospect Info: Anton Silayev (LD - #10 Overall - Round 1 - 2024 Draft)

[Xirik]

Some Hockey News Hub pics. He will be a good place for updates on Silayev.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1757367542480265344

https://x.com/i/web/status/1746205227517104456

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807044796294255089

He keeps his elbow tucked in. He's already better then Trouba!

 

[beekay414]

Jim needs his Ovaltine. Saliyev is a great pick. He'll come over after 2 years, have a 3 year ELC (unless we burn one for a playoff run) and he'll immediately slot in as a shut down defensemen. The offense may lag behind but we won't have to worry about that aspect all that much with Luke, Nemo and Seamus (and Dougie ffs).

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

So a better skating and taller Anton Volchenkov. Half joking, but constant clips of a 6'7" guy knocking people over isn't all that interesting. We know he can do that.

I'm more interested in his overall awareness and ability to make a good first pass with consistency.

A prime Anton Volchenkov at 6-7 with world class skating is like a player constructed in a lab to help the current NJ crop of players

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

i've seen him playing his offside in a couple videos.

 

[JimEIV]

If he can develop an offensive game...at least somewhat of an offensive game, it changes a lot in my opinion.

I'm watching clips his skating now and he joins the rush effectively, you would think that would lead to offense?

Watching his gaps with his stick always on or near the puck and just eating up attackers is extremely impressive for a player of his age.

There has to be untapped offensive potential with his skating ability? No defender moves that well and doesn't contribute.

Just a thought.

I agree with the fundamental point here about offense but let's be a little realistic here, only 20 defensemen had 30 or more 5v5 points this season and only 5 had 40. So that's a lot of 4v4, 3v3, and empty net stuff to get him over a line.

20-30 is realistic, 40 is an incredible season.

I think you might have me on silent mode but to add to this...

40 or more points has only be achieved 30 times in NJ Devil history... that's pretty wild. Take away Niedermayer, Stevens, Driver and Rafalski's seasons and 40 points is a rarity in NJ

 

[My3Sons]

I just think Buium is that good. Only thing Silayev has on him in my opinion is size and with that reach and physicality.

Buium is a great skater, great puck handler, a really smart player and great passer, he has the poise I look for in top defensemen, and he plays hard and solid defensively. There really isn’t any weaknesses IMO. Maybe you could wish he was an inch or two taller but he’s not small.

I don’t know if he’ll ever win a Norris just because I don’t know if he’ll ever put up the level of points necessary. I could very much see him being a McAvoy or Heiskanen type defensemen who’s one of the best in the league consistently and great all over the ice but never has a great chance at the Norris because he doesn’t have the Makar or Karlsson level of production. I think he’s also extremely unlikely to completely bust if he doesn’t reach those levels and at least be a good #3 dman.

Silayev is a big, mobile, and very raw defensemen. Just because of that he has great defensive potential. But I have concerns about how smart of a player he is, whether he’s poised enough and whether he’s a good enough puck mover to be a top defensemen at the NHL level. Don’t care much about the offense just want him to be good in transition and at making smart plays with the puck. Don’t think his puck skills are good enough yet either. As some others have said he’s very much a project. Him doing well in the KHL is a great sign but I just think there was better options.

Nobody cares about Buium versus Silayev. The real question is whether you think Buium goes ahead of Lane Hutson in a redraft.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

The fact it’s LARIONOV saying this is another matter though, it’s not just a quote from a random scout or pundit

I mean he’s also extremely biased to be fair

 

[Davegarri]

Big fan of this pick. Silayev may be polarizing for some, but i like his size speed and experience as a 17 year old. He'll be just fine, and I'm not worried about him not coming over. The timing and ELC contract will work out nicely for us.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

Granted - the other team basically let him walk through them. But I could never imagine Kevin Bahl doing that.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Don’t understand the handwringing over not taking Buium. He’s not a can’t miss prospect. L

This is where we disagree. He kind of is IMO.

 

[Hisch13r]

AFAIK there have only eve been three KHL players selected in the top-10, two forwards (Kravstov and Michkov) and one defenseman (Silayev). It is exceptionally rare for teenagers to be getting significant time in the KHL, it's the 2nd best league in the world after the NHL. Most Russian draft picks are from the MHL, which is the Russian minor league system.

Miro Heiskanen (#3, 2017) played his D+1 season in Finland's SM-Liiga and then immediately came over and jumped into Dallas his D+2 season. Simon Edvinsson (#6, 2021) played a full year in the SweHL and came over to AHL Grand Rapids, he got NHL games with Detroit in his D+2 and was up and down his D+3 year. Philip Broberg (#8, 2019) spent two full season in Sweden after his draft and split his D+3 between Edmonton and AHL Bakersfield, though his development path got kinda derailed by COVID and some injuries.

The following top defensive prospects also didn't make the NHL full time until their D+3 season or later:

Cale Makar
Jake Sanderson
Moritz Seider
Luke Hughes
Evan Bouchard
Josh Morrissey
Alex Pietrangelo

And I'd say they all turned out pretty good.

Silayev might need a few months to get used to North American ice, but he's not going to need to marinate down there for years and years. Nemec needed one year and change, and even then he was probably a bit overcooked and could have came up earlier if we needed him. And he came over as an 18 year old form the Slovakian men's league. A 20 year old with 3 seasons of KHL isn't going to need much of an acclimation.

Most KHL teams use the small ice.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Have been a bit negative to this point mostly because I think there’s a good chance we regret passing up Buium.
Switching to support and optimism now.

There is a legitimate chance he jumps right in to league in 2 years. If his development is going well it’s 3 years max IMO. If he can work on his transition game and puck skills this should be a solid pick who compliments what we already have very well.

 

[Hisch13r]

I mean he’s also extremely biased to be fair

I mean you can look at it that way if you want. The other way to look at it is Larionov loves him so much he made a 17 year old a regular contributor in a league that hates playing kids. He’s not just blowing smoke

 

[My3Sons]

Have been a bit negative to this point mostly because I think there’s a good chance we regret passing up Buium.
Switching to support and optimism now.

There is a legitimate chance he jumps right in to league in 2 years. If his development is going well it’s 3 years max IMO. If he can work on his transition game and puck skills this should be a solid pick who compliments what we already have very well.

You might be right. That said, Dickinson went ahead of Buium. as well. For whatever reason two NHL organizations passed on Buium. I think thr more likely outcome is all three are excellent when it’s all said and done.

 

[Lou Bloom]

This is where we disagree. He kind of is IMO.

That's a crazy take and this is coming from someone that was a fan of Buium and had him as a top 10 prospect. There's absolutely concerns about how his physical tools will translate at the NHL level and if he's able to play the same calm, composed style in a faster and more physically demanding league. Still a fan and I view him as a future two way 2nd pairing defenseman but having watched both him and Silayev there was no doubt in my mind that Silayev was the better defensive prospect.

 

[toddkaz]

can anyone tell anything from a 17 year old? i’m just going off what i’m reading

I am so stupid. Marino isn't getting trade for draft picks


Bwahahahaha

 

[Captain3rdLine]

That's a crazy take and this is coming from someone that was a fan of Buium and had him as a top 10 prospect. There's absolutely concerns about how his physical tools will translate at the NHL level and if he's able to play the same calm, composed style in a faster and more physically demanding league. Still a fan and I view him as a future two way 2nd pairing defenseman but having watched both him and Silayev there was no doubt in my mind that Silayev was the better defensive prospect.

Agree to disagree then but there’s nothing remotely crazy about the take. I’m a lot higher on Buium than you.

 

[My3Sons]

That's a crazy take and this is coming from someone that was a fan of Buium and had him as a top 10 prospect. There's absolutely concerns about how his physical tools will translate at the NHL level and if he's able to play the same calm, composed style in a faster and more physically demanding league. Still a fan and I view him as a future two way 2nd pairing defenseman but having watched both him and Silayev there was no doubt in my mind that Silayev was the better defensive prospect.

Buiium sounds a bit like Nemec? Cool calm and composed and a step ahead vision wise. I’d like to see Nemec improve his first step but if Buick is the same sort of player he’s a heck of a choice. I’m not sure why it’s so important to look at the other picks. To me the question is whether Silayev is poised to develop into the best version of himself over the next few years. In that regard I think Laarionov can make a big difference. If I’m NJ I have a hotline to Larionov and make sure Silayev gets the individualized attention he probably needs.

 

[Lou Bloom]

Agree to disagree then but there’s nothing remotely crazy about the take. I’m a lot higher on Buium than you.

It's not crazy to have him as the best defenseman in this draft class, It it a bit crazy to call him can't miss. Go look at the names of players that have busted over the years, even if you're a big fan of him I don't see how you can call him can't miss.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

It's not crazy to have him as the best defenseman in this draft class, It it a bit crazy to call him can't miss. Go look at the names of players that have busted over the years, even if you're a big fan of him I don't see how you can call him can't miss.

I think he’s probably a top 3 player in the draft and could be one of the best defensemen in the NHL 5 years from now. That’s why I think he’s can’t miss. Maybe I’m wrong but we’ll have to see. As I literally said on that post I’d like to focus on Silayev now.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

Not a fan of pick and im usually very supportive. Much rather wanted Buium , Nygard or Dickinson.

Lets just draft six of the same type of defenseman!

We needed a bigger defensive dman

 

[Hisch13r]

Lets just draft six of the same type of defenseman!

We needed a bigger defensive dman

No let’s draft some f***ing centers for once. I swear thinks he’ll burst into flames if he picks one. We pick big DFD every year.

 

[Moist ReadOnly]

No let’s draft some f***ing centers for once. I swear thinks he’ll burst into flames if he picks one. We pick big DFD every year.

And what center was available that was ranked highly?

Six of the seven highest ranked players left at pick 9 were defenseman, minus Helenius who was the lowest of them all on Bob's board

 

[Hisch13r]

And what center was available that was ranked highly?

Six of the seven highest ranked players left at pick 9 were defenseman, minus Helenius who was the lowest of them all on Bob's board

I wasn’t paying attention to the convo. I thought you were saying pick a big DFD with all our picks this year

 

[Mike27Devils]

Probably has one of the highest ceilings in the draft and also a higher floor. Can't go wrong with this one.