The New Jersey Devils front office will have at least some hockey worth watching as we rapidly approach the end of the 2025-26 season, thanks to one of their top prospects.
Before he comes over to North America and signs his first contract with the Devils, 6-foot-7 defense prospect Anton Silayev has business to take care of over in the KHL.
Silayev, 19, and his Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod squad have a Round 1 matchup with No. 3 seed Severstal Cherepovets in the Gagarin Cup playoffs, and the Devils' youngster put on a show in his first game of the postseason.
The 2024 No. 10 overall pick recorded a primary assist--his first point since Jan. 26--on Nikita Shavin's second-period goal for Torpedo, then picked up a secondary helper on Yegor Vinogradov's third-period goal to put Torpedo up 3-0.
Silayev finished the 4-1 win in Game 1 with 17:04 of ice time, which ranked fifth amongst the team's six defenseman, added two assists, recorded one shot on goal, and delivered two hits and a blocked shot.
Anton Silayev proves he's still a first-round talent in KHL playoff game
So, despite still seeing limited ice and still being a teenager playing in a top-tier men's league, Silayev delivered the goods for his KHL squad, filling the stat sheet in a bunch of meaningful categories.
Of course, the Devils and Devils fans would love to see their prized prospect play more, but the toolsy defenseman is going to be a slow burn, even when he makes the jump to North America in a few months.
Common criticisms of Silayev include an average hockey sense and a lack of offense, but those things can be improved with the right coaching and an environment more conducive to success. The size, speed, and strength are obviously gifts that cannot be taught, and Silayev has leveraged them to his advantage in the KHL for multiple seasons now.
A strong start, and hopefully a strong finish, in the Gagarin Cup playoffs should offer the Devils a larger glimpse into a bright future.