Anton Silayev
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Speaking of big, it's hard to find bigger than the 6'7 behemoth that is Anton Silayev. His size and his ability have allowed him to rocket up this draft. It's such a strange draft, and this is why there's such volatility in the top 20. There is a certain sense of change in the first round, but this year seems different. That's how a player on a KHL team most of us never heard of is now in the conversation for the top 10.
He actually broke a record for U18 scoring in the KHL. It was a record held by Vladimir Tarasenko and wasn't touched by the likes of Kirill Kaprozov or Matvei Michkov. Silayev is a defenseman, and he is now the one with this record.
Will he be able to repeat the offense in the NHL? We have trouble believing that. Maybe he’ll grow, but the record is still just 11 points. That’s okay, because this isn’t why the Devils will draft Silayev. Yes, his size is why he’s even in the top 10 discussion, but his skill is why it wouldn’t be a crazy pick.
This draft might be considered lacking talent, but these five players would be fantastic for the Devils in the future. The draft is just a few weeks away, and now we have finality on their pick. It’s time to see what the Devils are going to do.