Anton Silayev is the 2024 NHL Draft’s most fascinating prospect

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
Anton Silayev
Credit: KHL

When you’re getting compared to the likes of Victor Hedman, Zdeno Chara and Chris Pronger, you know you’re good.

For Anton Silayev, the comparison isn’t all that crazy. You won’t find 6-foot-7, 207-pound defenders that move, hit, and control the pace like he does – especially as a 17-year-old.

“He’s fearless,” one scout said. “You notice him every time he’s out there.”

Silayev got off to an incredible start to his KHL rookie campaign, posting five points during a three-game stretch in September. Suddenly, Silayev went from someone teams thought about as a potential late first-rounder at best to the hottest prospect in the world in a matter of weeks.

But that’s not his game, and it never was. That became exceptionally clear as the season wore on, as he finished with just three goals and 11 points while seeing his ice time hovering around the 15-minute mark. Still, it was such an incredible start to the year that scouts started to take a closer look – and instantly fell in love with him.

Silayev’s play in the first few weeks of the season even shocked him.

“I was not really productive before,” Silayev said through an interpreter. “It was nice to get those points earlier on.”

A good first impression converted into a lasting one, and teams considered him near the top of their draft boards. Some even considered him to be a serious threat to go No. 1 back in the fall, only to have Macklin Celebrini do Macklin Celebrini things.

Still, Silayev kept himself in the running to be the first defenseman taken, and many still believe it could happen over Michigan State’s Artyom Levshunov. Silaev is as high as No. 2 on some draft boards and even outside the top 10 on others. With so many high-end defenders in this class, it really depends on what teams selecting early value the most.

Silayev is described as a leader, someone his teammates truly admire and believe in. He was captain of Russia’s U-16 team in 2021-22 and was an alternate captain with the U-17 team in 2022-23. There’s a level of maturity you’ll notice right away when watching him on and off the ice – you could even see former NHL veterans listening to him on the bench despite being the youngest player on the team.

The fact Silayev played in the KHL on a full-time basis – and was an impact player at that – is almost unheard of for a player his age. Only six U-18 players played at least one game in the KHL this year, but Silayev was the only one who played more than 15 – with 63 in total. He’s the only U-18 KHL defenseman in league history to have double-digit points and play in more than 25 games in a season. Ivan Demidov, considered to be the top forward prospect behind Celebrini, played just four KHL games in September and only played double-digit minutes once.

Compared to Levshunov, Zeev Buium, Sam Dickinson and Zayne Parekh, Silayev’s game isn’t built around skill or generating offense. His shot is average at best, and he’s not going to blow you away with speed. But he’s a competent enough skater that it’s not an issue for him, and his competitive and physical nature is among the best in this class. It makes sense, given his interest in boxing, something in which he likes to train in his free time.

“He fights every battle like it’s life or death out there,” one scout said. “It’s punishing. He never loses a physical battle.”

Yet, despite that, Silayev still thinks there’s more to gain on the physical side.

“I got to get mentally stronger and play better defensively in my own end,” Silayev said. “Physically, for sure, I have to be bigger and stronger.”

Silayev’s KHL contract with Novgorod runs until 2026, taking him until he’s 20. He said his plan is to make a decision on what happens next after that, but reports say that he has talked with NHL teams, and there’s a belief around the league that he should make the move over to North America once his current deal ends. It’s not a guarantee by any means, but there doesn’t seem to be too much of a concern for a player who could end up coming over for an NHL development camp run by whichever team selects him.

It also helps to have Hockey Hall of Famer Igor Larionov as a coach, someone who has been willing to go to bat for him this year with NHL GMs, according to sources.

The big thing holding Silayev back is a lack of high offensive upside. Parekh, for example, projects to be a potential 70-point NHLer one day, while Silayev might be more of a 30ish-point producer. And that’s still fine, because the goal of an NHL defenseman, shockingly enough, is to play defense. And when it comes to this class, Silayev is one of the best, with his size and mobility being major factors for that. But if a team is chasing someone with a bit more two-way action? It could push Silayev down a bit. The good news is that he did show some impressive offensive instincts that could allow him to reach another level with more confidence and experience, but he’s not there just yet.

But players with Silayev’s total makeup are so rare to come by. He can be mean, he can outskate opponents about 10 inches shorter than him, and he’s a competitive monster out there. Silayev is the only defender projected to go in the top 10 with a full year of pro experience, which is a big plus early in his development.

“He’s not your run-of-the-mill defender you find each year,” another scout said. “I’m not kidding when I say he’s such a unique figure because usually players his size are more reserved, shutdown guys. There’s just more to him than that, though.”

Even without extended in-person viewings for him based on where he plays, or due to Russia’s ban in IIHF competition, many teams feel very confident that Silayev is the real deal. Who knows – maybe he would have been the consensus No. 1 D-man had he gone the Levshunov route to the NCAA, or if he was eligible to have been taken in the CHL Import Draft.

Either way, Silayev will be the subject of significant intrigue. He would be the first defenseman taken in most recent drafts, including 2023. He’s unique, and with a rocking first year in the KHL, the ceiling’s high for one of the most fascinating prospects in recent years.

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