[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts (Unicorn Edition):

Watching 6'7",212lb LHD Anton Silayev is like spotting Bigfoot piloting a UFO- it's like seeing the impossible for the first time. The 17 year-old is already getting big minutes in the KHL, on a good team- Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod- and broke the record for points in that league by a U-18 defenseman, then broke the record for points by a U-19 defenseman, with 11 in 59 games to date. Right now, he's 1 point behind Avalanche 2023 first-rounder, Mikhail Gulyayev, and 3 points ahead of Arizona 2023 first-rounder, Dmitri Simashev.

Silayev is not just a good skater for a big guy, he's a flat-out great skater with the edgework of a player who measures 5'10"- he can stop and start, or turn on a dime. He has excellent 4-directional mobility, with long, powerful strides, and can cover an unbelievable amount of real estate in a short time. To think that he will probably get faster as he develops physically is scary. Despite the numbers he's put up, there's plenty of questions in regards to his offensive game, as right now, he looks to be more of a facilitator than actual creator- he doesn't get that involved in the offense. This may be due to the system his team plays, his role, or his coach, but any signs of a more dynamic offensive skillset come only in flashes, and not with regularity. He usually doesn't go too far past the blueline, and instead walks the line, keeping the puck alive in the zone, making simple passes, or putting shots on net to create havok, and give opportunities for rebounds to teammates. He will join the rush on occasion, but mostly as a trailer, and doesn't carry the puck as much as he should. He does a great job of getting shots through, and if he has support, he will pinch into the play. Silayev has shown a good off-puck game with spatial awareness, the manipulation to exploit open space, and the ability to weave in and out of holes in coverage, but he simply doesn't take many chances in order to create opportunity, at least not often at this level. It should be pointed out that, as impressive as his point totals are, he started the KHL season with 6 points in his first 6 games- that means he has 5 points in his last 53 contests. The numbers may not be painting the most accurate portrait.

Although Silayev is raw in many areas, and his offense might be up for debate, he's already a dependable defensive player, and a stabilizing presence for his team. He makes stop after stop against the rush, many times even before his opponents reach the defensive blueline. A huge swath of ice is covered by his enormous wingspan alone, even when he's standing still- never mind the fact that he can skate backwards faster than some can skate forward. He uses his stick very well to block lanes, and keeps a tight gap, angling attackers to the boards, where they are often finished with a big hit. He's a good shot-blocker, and has the proactive awareness to pick off passes. Silayev has shown that he can be a capable puck-mover under pressure, and is proficient at connecting on beautiful outlets, and the odd stretch-pass, and has even shown glimpses of play-driving capabilities by carrying the puck through transition on occasion, though he mostly defers to short passes and give-and-go's. He not the most robust physical player, but he uses his size well to leverage his way through traffic, push opponents off the puck, and box attackers out from the net. He will throw hits along the wall to separate man from puck, and grind the other team down. Laziness is not an issue with Silayev- he puts the work in, and is fully capable of eating big minutes.

It has to be emphasized that, not only is Silayev raw and underdeveloped, he is 17 years old and playing in the second-best league in the world against men. He is far from being a finished product, and the potential in this player is sky-high. Most of his issues, including his unwillingness to be more aggresive in the offensive zone, are mostly due to his age and immaturity. There are still plenty of mistakes with the puck to be worked out, as he can hold on to pucks too long, or get too fancy when passing, which results in giveaways. He can make bad reads in both ends of the ice, but has the speed to recover most of the time. The main problem may be the fact that he plays too cautious, presumably to avoid turnovers, and that may hamper him a bit. At any rate, this player oozes potential in all areas, and is an extremely unique and special player, who I believe will be the second D-man taken on Draft Day.