What if you could have one of the biggest and nimblest defencemen ever? 

That’s the major temptation of the 2024 draft class. 

We know that every NHL organization favours these types of players. It’s understandable, considering that, year after year, no matter the era of hockey, they always seem to be key pieces of Stanley Cup-winning clubs. 

Just like other hockey giants before him, Anton Silayev of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL could develop into a two-way force and – in a few years – play 26 minutes in the playoffs en route to the sport’s ultimate prize. 

Many scouts, including some on our staff, share that vision, propelling the 6-foot-7 defenceman to the top-10 – in some cases even top-5 or top-3 – on their individual draft boards.

But there’s another scenario that’s not nearly as bright, where players drafted around him rise to the level of stars, and he instead sinks to a specialist role down the lineup. 

The Russian defenceman looks like he was crafted to dominate the NHL, but his projection carries a similar dose of risk as that of the players more commonly ranked in the teens on draft boards. Like these other prospects, his upside will be greatly determined by his development.