James Nichols
At 6-foot-7 and 204 pounds, hulking New Jersey Devils prospect defenseman Anton Silayev carries major expectations.
The Devils selected the Russian with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Devils head scout Mark Denehey told New Jersey Hockey Now the team never saw that happening when they walked into the Sphere in Paradise, Nevada.
“I don’t know where anyone else had him ranked. We were surprised he was there—happily surprised,” Denehey said.
A giant, especially on skates, Silayev draws eyes every shift. His massive frame invites comparisons to other oversized players who’ve left their mark on the league.
Matt Rempe of the New York Rangers is one recent example. Different circumstances, of course, but a 6-foot-9 player entering the NHL is impossible to overlook.
As a defenseman, Silayev is already being measured against a Hall of Famer thanks to his rare toolkit.
“What excites me is you’ve got a guy with that size and length, plus an athleticism that’s unicorn-esque,” Denehey explained. “His ability to skate at that size with that reach, and he’s already played against men for three years. Say what you want about the KHL compared to the NHL—I probably wouldn’t disagree—but at the end of the day, he’s playing against men.
“I don’t like making comparisons, and I’m not saying he is Zdeno Chara, but if you look at Chara’s skill set when he was Anton’s age, it’s safe to say Silayev is far ahead of where Chara was.”
That’s high praise.
Chara’s career didn’t really take off until he was traded to the Ottawa Senators and later cemented his legacy with the Boston Bruins in 2006. A third-round pick in 1996, he didn’t arrive with the tools Silayev already has at the same age. What elevated that late pick into a seven-time All-Star and Norris Trophy winner was his relentless drive to improve on and off the ice.
Ahead of Chara’s pace at the same stage, Denehey is eager to see whether Silayev shares that hunger.
“Chara’s work ethic, leadership, and drive to be better were Herculean—Hall of Fame level,” Denehey said. “Now, does Anton have that? We’re going to find out.
“I would say that at the same age, Silayev’s skating for a guy that size doesn’t come around very often.”
Before the 2024 draft, Silayev was widely projected as a top-three pick and the top defenseman available. He fell to 10th, and the Devils seized the opportunity.
A social media clip of former GM Tom Fitzgerald consulting with former assistant GM Dan MacKinnon led some to speculate that New Jersey took Silayev on a whim, without proper homework.
Denehey pushed back firmly.
“Yeah, no, that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said. “We have two excellent Russian scouts—one in Moscow, one in St. Petersburg. He was playing for Igor Larionov with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. We spoke with the young man and his coach. Our scouts had multiple live viewings, and so did we. I’ll tell you this: we were shocked he was still there at 10th overall.”
Silayev joined New Jersey’s development camp immediately after the draft and flashed the size and speed that excited the organization and its fans.
He soon returned to Russia to finish his KHL contract before heading to North America. It was a grind over those two seasons, with ups and downs in Torpedo’s lineup.
The Devils kept in regular but measured contact to support his growth without overwhelming him.
“We’ve got a really good hierarchy of how we do things,” Denehey said. “We’ve got a solid structure, and obviously Sunny Mehta will come in and make changes he sees fit. But we’ve got a strong developmental staff. Eric Weinrich and Megan Duggan oversee the department, and Weinrich worked closely with the defensemen.
“You don’t want to pester the kid constantly while he’s playing under another coach. A number of people on our staff—including Andy Greene—watched video of him, along with some in management. Conversations happened through our Russian scouts and with Weinrich to check on his state of mind, development, and playing time. The exciting part now is having him fully under our umbrella, where we have a much clearer picture of what we want to accomplish with him.”
His post-draft season mirrored his draft year. In 63 games in 2024-25, he posted two goals and 12 points—one more than the season before.
In 2025-26, both production and ice time dropped. After averaging 20-plus minutes many nights, he saw reduced responsibility under new coach Alexei Isakov. Fewer minutes meant fewer puck touches, resulting in just one goal and three points in 61 games.
The Devils noticed the shift in deployment. Still, Denehey doesn’t believe that season will cap Silayev’s potential as a top-pair NHL defenseman.
If anything, early adversity could help.
“I wouldn’t say we had major concerns about his development curve, but you need to play,” Denehey said. “We had questions about the minutes he was getting. We didn’t control that then — we do now. It’s not a coincidence that he jumped to 20 minutes a game in the playoffs. I don’t think it had as much to do with his play as other factors. The coach changed, Larionov was gone, and they didn’t want to lose a prospect like him.
“You hear a lot about data these days. This season is a blip. Having to battle limited ice time, stay positive, and keep pushing could end up being one of the best things for him. We don’t know for sure, but this guy is built for a long NHL career. I don’t think last year will define him.”
What happens next is now in Silayev’s hands.
He’s already battled men for three KHL seasons.
Signed to a three-year entry-level contract, the Devils are excited to have him fully under their wing to develop on their terms.
“I just know that we now play a much larger role in his development,” Denehey said. “With a top-10 pick, it’s imperative that we’re the ones guiding him. We have total confidence in our development model, and there’s no one else we’d rather have leading the way.”
