The Devils are about to get their first real look at Anton Silayev, and the appeal is obvious. At 6’7” and 207 pounds, the 20-year-old blueliner looks built to punish opponents, and his early track record points to a player who could grow into an elite shutdown defenseman.
That’s exactly why New Jersey has a real decision to make. Silayev may be one of the organization’s most intriguing young pieces, but the left side of the blue line is already crowded with Luke Hughes, Brenden Dillon, and Jonas Siegenthaler. Right now, there isn’t an obvious NHL opening waiting for him.
So the question isn’t whether Silayev has a future with the Devils. It’s how quickly that future should arrive.
For now, the safer move may be to keep him in the AHL with the Utica Comets, where he can get the kind of steady minutes he needs. Silayev is only 20 and is coming over from Russia this season, so there’s a real adjustment ahead as he gets used to the North American game. The 10th-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft could benefit from a full season of that learning curve before anyone starts forcing the issue.
That approach also gives the Devils some breathing room. If Silayev spends this year building confidence and sharpening his game in Utica, the path could open later. Brenden Dillon is in the final year of his current contract, and if he leaves next summer, New Jersey could have a much cleaner lane for Silayev to work into a regular NHL role.
The biggest mistake with a prospect like this is simple: get impatient. If a young player isn’t truly ready, rushing him into the NHL can do more harm than good. And with no clear spot available, the Devils would be asking for trouble if they tried to force Silayev into a reduced role or shuffle a veteran into the press box just to make room.
That’s why regular ice time matters so much here. Silayev needs reps, not a part-time job.
There is one wrinkle. If injuries hit the Devils this season, Silayev could get a look sooner than expected. In that case, the situation would be different, and the organization might be more willing to give him a chance.
For now, though, the most likely outcome is the straightforward one: a season in the AHL, a chance to adjust, and a longer runway toward the NHL.
In Other News...
Devils Are Betting On Overlooked Talent To Deliver This Season
Sunny Mehtas offseason approach in New Jersey has a familiar feel for anyone who watched his work with the Panthers. The Devils are leaning into a talent-identification model that values players other teams may have overlooked, betting that the right environment can turn promising pieces into much more. Thats how names like Amadeus Lombardi, Declan Chisholm and Luke Evangelista have entered the conversation, with each beginning to show signs that they can become more than depth options at the pro level.
The more interesting part for the Devils is how that same logic applies to the roster already in place. Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, Arseny Gritsyuk and Luke Hughes all have the kind of upside that could reshape the teams ceiling if the next step arrives this season, while offseason addition Anthony Mantha is expected to build on the scoring touch he showed recently. For New Jersey, the gamble is clear: if enough of these players move from potential to production, the payoff could be a much deeper, more dangerous lineup than the one that finished last spring. [Read more 🡒]
Dawson Mercer Faces A Bigger Devils Season Than Fans Realize
Dawson Mercers 2025-26 season was the kind that quietly matters a lot in New Jersey: he stayed in the lineup every night, posted 42 points with 20 goals and 22 assists, and handled 18:14 of ice time while helping the Devils get through the grind of a full schedule. For a player still only heading into the next stage of his career, that was the sort of all-around year that reinforces why the organization has leaned on him so heavily.
Now Mercer heads into the final year of his contract with a different kind of pressure. He is expected to slide into a bottom-six role as new addition Luke Evangelista pushes into the top six, which means Mercer will have to keep producing while adjusting to a smaller offensive lane. At the same time, he is chasing career markers like 500 NHL games and extending an ironman streak that has become part of his value, making this season about more than just where he fits in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Evangelista Could Be Sitting On A Devils Breakout Opportunity
Luke Evangelistas arrival gives the Devils something they have been searching for, a winger whose skill set could fit neatly beside Jack Hughes if the two are given the chance to build chemistry. The conversation around his role starts with line combinations, because in New Jersey the appeal is obvious: a creative winger paired with a high-end center can unlock offense in a way that was harder to imagine in Nashville.
Evangelistas previous stop came with the Predators, where the environment was different and the center options did not match what Hughes offers. Now the focus shifts to how the Devils use the trade that brought him in, and whether they lean into a configuration that puts him in position to grow quickly. If the fit works the way it looks on paper, New Jersey may have found a breakout opportunity hiding in plain sight. [Read more 🡒]