LD Anton Silayev - Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, KHL (2024 draft)

[montreal]

 

[coooldude]

He had a couple good play shut-downs, but also got dumped in the corner twice by small-ish wings. A lot of the game it looked like he was trying to get the puck off his stick as quickly as possible... in the third, two nice rushes ended up in uncontrolled entries (one dump, one long-range unserious shot on goal that resulted in change of possession). On the final goal, he misread the D zone, gave the shooter too much space playing to defend a slot pass that wasn't a threat, and paid for it.

Overall the guy has the body and skates smoothly for his size but not an inspiring game particularly as this was the MHL.

 

[WeThreeKings]

2nd overall in Pronman's latest rankings, first player in his 2nd tier (tier 1 is obviously Celebrini)

 

[montreal]

solid game from him today defensively. It's almost shift by shift of Silayev.

 

[coooldude]

solid game from him today defensively. It's almost shift by shift of Silayev.

Solid positionally in both zones, seemed more confident on zone entries, play in the O zone, joining the rush, and also carrying the puck out of the zone. As the game went on, still a bit too quick to get the puck off his stick and he was lucky not to be responsible for 1-2 goals against because of turnovers where he could have taken a beat to make a better decision on a puck retrieval in the D zone. Better than the last game.

 

[majormajor]

Better than the last game.

The MHL game that @montreal posted on March 11th had me thinking about taking Silayev out of my top 10. Silayev seems to have found his bearings now. His recovery ability and the area of space he controls with his stick is amazing. And I thought the puck decisions in this latest one were mostly very good - nothing high end with the puck but smart and often patient.

 

[Goldenhands]

Impressive showing, the knee injury seems to be history. That Silayev will go very high, I have him as my favorite defenseman of this draft.

 

[coooldude]

Impressive showing, the knee injury seems to be history. That Silayev will go very high, I have him as my favorite defenseman of this draft.

I thought he looked very positionally sound and used his size well. His mobility continues to be mind boggling given his size. Showed high straight line speed on one backcheck.

On the downside, he gets tunnel vision nearly every time he touches the puck and locks onto his first read. When that's the right read, he made a few good to great outlet passes or plays on the o zone, but when it's not the right read (which it often isn't in hockey) he seems to force it anyway. Maybe that's coachable or maybe it comes with confidence. If he were better on the puck he'd be clear #2OA in my opinion. Since he's not, plus the three year contract, I'm guessing he could fall to 4-6 or so.

 

[Goldenhands]

I thought he looked very positionally sound and used his size well. His mobility continues to be mind boggling given his size. Showed high straight line speed on one backcheck.

On the downside, he gets tunnel vision nearly every time he touches the puck and locks onto his first read. When that's the right read, he made a few good to great outlet passes or plays on the o zone, but when it's not the right read (which it often isn't in hockey) he seems to force it anyway. Maybe that's coachable or maybe it comes with confidence. If he were better on the puck he'd be clear #2OA in my opinion. Since he's not, plus the three year contract, I'm guessing he could fall to 4-6 or so.

Keep in mind thats a 6'7 kid who hasnt filled out yet, he is still growing into his body, once he gains more strength, the synchronism will be even better.

 

[coooldude]

Keep in mind thats a 6'7 kid who hasnt filled out yet, he is still growing into his body, once he gains more strength, the synchronism will be even better.

Yes, absolutely, it's why he's a top prospect. I'm just saying he has a long way to go to make NHL plays with the puck.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I thought he looked very positionally sound and used his size well. His mobility continues to be mind boggling given his size. Showed high straight line speed on one backcheck.

On the downside, he gets tunnel vision nearly every time he touches the puck and locks onto his first read. When that's the right read, he made a few good to great outlet passes or plays on the o zone, but when it's not the right read (which it often isn't in hockey) he seems to force it anyway. Maybe that's coachable or maybe it comes with confidence. If he were better on the puck he'd be clear #2OA in my opinion. Since he's not, plus the three year contract, I'm guessing he could fall to 4-6 or so.

With that size and mobility, you cannot let this guy be around by the end of the top 10 even though I agree the limited offensive ability likely keeps him out of the top three.

 

[Caser]

Mentioned in an interview that all the NHL teams have talked to him, but he feels the most interest so far have been from the CBJ and the Coyotes (or whoever they are now).

 

[macbowes]

Mentioned in an interview that all the NHL teams have talked to him, but he feels the most interest so far have been from the CBJ and the Coyotes (or whoever they are now).

Yay, I hope he goes to Utah, I think Silayev, Simashev, and Lamoureux would be a great way to start a massive d-core that can skate, and building from the backend out is generally a good idea.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Yay, I hope he goes to Utah, I think Silayev, Simashev, and Lamoureux would be a great way to start a massive d-core that can skate, and building from the backend out is generally a good idea.

Nice big Top 3 D prospects there if they go that route.

 

[lanky]

Nice big Top 3 D prospects there if they go that route.

Big is an understatement.
6'7
6'5
6'7

 

[MNRube]

#2 prospect for me. The upside is through the roof

 

[WeThreeKings]

Mentioned in an interview that all the NHL teams have talked to him, but he feels the most interest so far have been from the CBJ and the Coyotes (or whoever they are now).

Excellent, Columbus taking Silayev would mean the biggest threat to take a forward ahead of the Habs didn't do so.

 

[viper0220]

Yes, absolutely, it's why he's a top prospect. I'm just saying he has a long way to go to make NHL plays with the puck.

That's why he is playing in the KHL for 3 years.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Mentioned in an interview that all the NHL teams have talked to him, but he feels the most interest so far have been from the CBJ and the Coyotes (or whoever they are now).

Arizona was obvious since they took Simashev and But.

They're building an army of massive Russians.

 

[Garl]

Arizona was obvious since they took Simashev and But.

They're building an army of massive Russians.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Sounds like he's going to get drafted highly cause his size + skating package is unique and potentially game changing. Any thoughts on his offensive potential? I've read mixed thoughts so far, and also hear he's not a finished product so he could possibly develop some of the offensive game large dmen who can dominate the ice develop (e.g. Chara/Hedman/Hamilton).

I get he started hot and cooled off, but how much of that is just early luck v. usage?

 

[coooldude]

Sounds like he's going to get drafted highly cause his size + skating package is unique and potentially game changing. Any thoughts on his offensive potential? I've read mixed thoughts so far, and also hear he's not a finished product so he could possibly develop some of the offensive game large dmen who can dominate the ice develop (e.g. Chara/Hedman/Hamilton).

I get he started hot and cooled off, but how much of that is just early luck v. usage?

I keep seeing the same kind of language in draft reports, and it doesn't really square with the eye test, but then again, pro scouts have him high.

• As the season went on, he was 6/7th D for Torpedo, seeing 10-15min / game, not "high minutes usage in all situations" like many draft reports state
• Offensively, he's not a huge weapon. He isn't that deficient with puck skills, but he's not blowing your socks off, and when on the puck, he seems to get locked into his reads in all three zones. This means he makes some nice plays and also makes a lot of boneheaded plays that are telegraphed.
• I don't know enough to say why he cooled off so much. I guess one of two things are possible, 1) it was complete puck luck and the last 45 games were more representative than the first 8-ish, or 2) he actually has more offensive capability but it was coming at the expense of his D and Larionov asked him to rein it in.
• The fact that he didn't look much better in the MHL playoffs makes me extra concerned, personally, but I'm no pro and the pros seem to like him...

 

[Caser]

As the season went on, he was 6/7th D for Torpedo, seeing 10-15min / game, not "high minutes usage in all situations" like many draft reports state

15 minutes/game is high minutes in the KHL, however he wasn't playing on the PP much anymore, so indeed not exactly in all situations.

• I don't know enough to say why he cooled off so much. I guess one of two things are possible, 1) it was complete puck luck and the last 45 games were more representative than the first 8-ish, or 2) he actually has more offensive capability but it was coming at the expense of his D and Larionov asked him to rein it in.

Maybe because he was just 17 during the season and KHL is a pretty exhausting league, so he just naturally ran out of gas (he was given a week rest at the start of February, so that is kind of telling).

 

[Kevin Musto]

Maybe because he was just 17 during the season and KHL is a pretty exhausting league, so he just naturally ran out of gas (he was given a week rest at the start of February, so that is kind of telling).

Yeah I think it's more of a conditioning issue.

 

[cg98]

Not easy for a 17-18 year old draft eligible kid to play a full time season in a pro mens league like the KHL. Looks like he really needs to spend a few years growing and conditioning into that giant frame of his, especially as a defensemen. He needs to stay a few years there with Torpedo and develop into a top 4 dman in that league.