The New Jersey Devils are currently trying to improve their team on the first day of the 2025 NHL Free Agency. However, that wasn't the only bit of news that came out. There was an announcement about the Devils' first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, defenseman Anton Silayev.
Silayev was scheduled to report to the 2025 Devils Development Camp. However, when the roster got uploaded to social media, Devils reporter Amanda Stein announced that Silayev would be staying back in Russia due to visa issues.
Silayev and Karpovich won't be at #NJDevils Dev Camp due to having visa issues on their end.
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) June 30, 2025
However, as of the time this article is written, NHL reporter Mike Morreale reports that Silayev would be staying in Russia to play one season in the KHL, then come to Newark to play in the Spring of 2026.
The word on #NJDevils defenseman prospect Anton Silayev is this. He'll spend 1 more season (2025-26) in Russia (KHL) and the Devils anticipate he will join the club in the spring 2026.
— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) July 1, 2025
This piece of news actually helps the Devils. Silayev’s time in the KHL in the past two seasons has been relatively decent. He had 11 points in the 2023-24 season, followed by a 12-point season with the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. That’s normal for a defenseman whose main priority is defense-based.
Silayev has had a great season in terms of his defense, blocking 190 shots and recording 236 hits, both career highs so far. Having him continue to play in Russia showcases that if he can perform at that level, he can come into the NHL and slowly work on becoming a great physical defenseman.
Anton Silayev is expected to join the New Jersey Devils next year
On the Devils' side, having Silayev return to Russia works well because it gives the front office plenty of time to work on a more physically based team, especially with the development camp just underway. There will be some players, such as Ethan Edwards, Sigge Holmgren, and Jimmy Dowd, who could become solid defensemen for the team in the future.
The offseason has already begun, and we could see a Luke Hughes extension. Simon Nemec is also looking like he’ll improve next season, following his fantastic playoff run. Having Silayev on top of that looks great for him, as well as the team, in terms of defensive players.
If the Devils are looking great in March and are in a playoff spot, calling up Silayev would be great, and it wouldn’t be the first time they did this either. In the 2022-23 season, the Devils called up Luke Hughes at the end of the season in April, and it has worked out for them so far, given his impressive play. This plan should seem perfect for the Devils, allowing both Silayev and the organization to assess whether Silayev can become a great future defenseman for the Devils.