Anton Silayev Deep Dive: Can the 6-foot-7 Defender Make the Devils in 2026?
Most top prospects announce themselves with skill. Yet, New Jersey Devils prospect defenseman Anton Silayev announces himself with presence.
At 6-foot-7 and over 200 pounds, he already has the frame of a finished NHL defenseman. What separates him is how he moves. The skating is fluid, the recovery is quick, and the gap control is advanced for someone his size. That combination is rare enough that it made him the clear No. 1 prospect in the Devils system this summer.
The ranking is not complicated. The criteria used in our full prospect rankings prioritize skating and athleticism, puck skills, hockey sense, compete level, and defensive detail, then weigh production against age and league, trajectory, and realistic NHL projection. Proximity matters, but it does not override tools. Silayev checks the biggest boxes more convincingly than anyone else in the pipeline.
Background
Born April 11, 2006 in Sarov, Russia, Silayev was selected 10th overall by the Devils in the 2024 NHL Draft. He spent the last three seasons with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL, playing against men as a teenager. In his draft year he put up 11 points in 63 games, the most by an under-18 player in KHL history at the time. The following season he added 12 points. Last year the offense dried up — one goal and two assists in 61 games — but the physical numbers stayed strong. He finished with 124 hits and was named a KHL All-Star for the first time.
On June 1, 2026, the Devils signed him to a three-year entry-level contract. He is now North America-bound and will be at training camp.
The Tools
Skating is the foundation. Silayev covers ice like a much smaller defender. The first three strides generate real separation, the edges are clean, and he can pivot and close without losing balance. That mobility turns his reach into a weapon. Forwards who think they have space suddenly find a stick or body in the way.
Compete and physicality sit at a high level. He finishes checks, blocks shots, and does not shy away from net-front battles. The defensive detail is already functional. He has good gap control, an active stick, and the ability to kill plays before they develop. Hockey sense is solid rather than elite. He reads the play well enough to stay in position and make the first pass most nights.
Puck skills are the thinnest part of the profile. The hands are adequate for a player his size, but the offensive instincts and decision-making under pressure still need work. He can walk the blue line and make a clean outlet, yet he is not a natural creator.
Still, these tools are what made Devils head scout Mark Denehey describe Silayev as a “Unicorn.”
I’m not saying Silayev is a carbon copy of Zdeno Chara, however, his tools resemble the Boston Bruins legend.
Production and Trajectory
The KHL numbers tell two stories. In his first two seasons with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, Silayev produced at a respectable rate for a young defenseman in a men’s league — 11 points as an under-18 player in 2023-24, then 12 points the following year. Last season the point totals collapsed to one goal and two assists in 61 games. That drop coincided with a change behind the bench at Torpedo when they dismissed Igor Larionov as head coach. Under the new bench boss, Alexi Isakov, Silayev’s ice time diminished and his offensive opportunities dried up, making the third KHL season look like an outlier rather than a true step backward.
The defensive and physical metrics still held up. He finished with 124 hits and earned a KHL All-Star nod, which is encouraging. A player who can impact games when the offense is not there has a clearer path to the NHL than one who needs points to stay relevant.
The trajectory remains upward in the areas that matter most for his projection. The body continues to fill out, the skating remains a separator, and the defensive habits look transferable. The offensive side will determine whether he becomes a pure shutdown piece or something more.
NHL Projection
Silayev projects as a top-four shutdown defenseman. The best version eats difficult minutes, kills penalties, and makes life miserable for opposing forwards. He will never be a primary power-play option, but the mobility gives him a chance to contribute in transition and on the second unit if the puck skills improve.
Comparables are imperfect because the size-plus-skating package is uncommon. Like I said, he’s Chara-like, but think of a more mobile, less polished version of the big shutdown types who stick for a decade because coaches trust them in every situation.
What Comes Next
The biggest questions are adjustment and offense. North American ice, the speed of the AHL and NHL, and the smaller rinks will test his decision-making. He also needs to show he can generate more than the occasional secondary chance. Strength gains and continued work on retrievals and first passes will help.
Verdict
Silayev will want compete for an NHL roster spot in training camp. I mean, who wouldn’t?
The tools are loud and the reputation is strong enough that the coaching staff will give him a real look, especially with the left side of the blue line in flux after recent moves.
The more likely outcome is that he spends the majority of the 2026-27 season with the Utica Comets. There he can play heavy minutes, adjust to the North American game, and continue developing without the pressure of limited NHL ice time. If the progress is steady, a call-up at some point during the year is realistic. The long-term bet remains the same: a physical, mobile, shutdown defender who can anchor a pair for years.
That is why he sits at the top of the Devils’ prospect list.