KHL.ru starts telling stories of those who showcased an exceptional level of playing despite their young age. Today, the talk is about Anton Silayev. The Torpedo defenseman had a fantastic debut season in the league, and is under contract in Nizhny Novgorod for further two years.
Anton Silayev is a product of Nizhny Novgorod hockey. He started playing in Sarov and, at the age of eight, moved to the Torpedo system. In the 2023-2024 season, he made his KHL debut, securing a solid spot in Torpedo’s senior lineup. On average, Silayev spent 15 minutes on the ice, and in 68 games, in his debut season, the young defenseman scored 13 points (3 goals and 10 assists). The young blueliner was also a finalist for the Alexei Cherepanov award to the best rookie in the season.
“In my transition to pro hockey, the professionalism of the players, the speed of decision-making, the passing was the most unusual for me. The coaches worked with me a lot, providing guidance, which made it easier to adapt. I adjusted to the season much more easily than I expected,” the young defenseman says recalling his first steps in the KHL. “At first, I felt a bit out of place. But since I had already trained with Torpedo before, the adaptation process was much easier. Our team treats all players the same. I was nervous for a couple of days, but after that, everything was just fine. Now I talk to everyone calmly, but I understand that I’m with people who are older than me. I need to choose my words carefully and avoid overstepping.”
Of course, playing under such a legend like Igor Larionov makes it easier, especially since the big attention and care he gives to the younger ones. “Larionov told me, ‘If you want to achieve something, you need to work hard. In this team, there will be no place in the lineup just handed to you.’ He made it clear right away that even the slightest slack would keep me out of the lineup. This motivated me. He tells everyone that while the team has a good atmosphere, you must give 100% in every moment. I have always told myself that if I slack off, I might as well quit hockey.”
Silayev plays more of a defensive style, but he fit in extremely well in Torpedo’s fast offensive hockey. “It wasn't too difficult for me,” the blueliner admits. “In the 2022-2023 season, with Chaika, in the juniors, the style was a bit different, but still focused on offense. In junior hockey, coaches try to teach us to play with short passes and make quick decisions. I think this also helped me. Additionally, when KHL players were assigned down for the finals, I played with Bogdan Konyushkov. He gave me valuable advice during the games and constantly told me during breaks how to play better.”
With his size, standing at 200 cm and 94 kgs, Silayev does know how to deliver bone crushing hits. “For us, good stick handling is still the primary requirement,” he explains. “But if there’s an opportunity, why not play the body? Especially with my size, I should take advantage of it. Looking at NHL defensemen, I understand that in crucial matches, physical play is essential. You need to act smartly and respect your opponents. I don’t wish harm to anyone and don’t want to cause injuries. Here, it doesn’t matter what your size is. Even a smaller player can injure a larger one.”
But of course, other than physical play, Igor Larionov asks from his defensemen to develop their offensive game and participate in the offensive plays. “Our requirement, for defensemen is to join the attack, but do so wisely,” Silayev explains. “Forwards also need to play defense, because nowadays hockey is about five men attacking, and five defending.” However, it’s hard to do it without mistakes, especially at such young age. “That happened at the beginning of the season when I was running everywhere recklessly. Then, the coaches calmed me down a bit and showed me how I should play in different situations. I first watched my own highlights, then I was shown plays from Victor Hedman. I have a similar style to him. I watch how he moves, how he positions himself correctly. I think this work is paying off.”
Moreover, Larionov often encourages his players after mistakes, rather than calling them out, like he is seen multiple times during games. This builds trust and confidence, as Silayev noted. “He comes over, encourages me, and says everything is fine, I need to calm down and play my game. Start with the right small actions, even if they are the simplest, but they will help the team win. This greatly boosts confidence. In my short playing career, I’ve realized that I can adapt to any coach and any game. I just need to do my job.” But keeping his cool is hard for the young defenseman, sometimes. “I do reac emotionally to my mistakes. Probably because of my age, I try to take everything to heart. When I review and analyze the given situation, I let it go and move on. If you don’t grow from your mistakes, nothing good will come of it.” That attitude helped him also to deal with defeats. “Every defeat is tough,” Silayev admits. “Sometimes, we play well but concede with a second or two left, or lose after OT. It’s very frustrating. After such games, you become stronger and have even more chances to win. If a game didn’t go well, you analyze your mistakes. In the next game, we try to prove that it was a one-time thing and that we are much stronger than that.”
Silayev doesn’t come from Nizhny Novgorod itself, but from Sarov, a closed town in the same region. Other than for its position as the Russian center for nuclear research, Sarov is also known for its love to hockey. In better times, before problems with the arena surfaced, the city had a team in the High League, which also served a farm team for Torpedo. From Sarov, Silayev consequently joined Torpedo. “The Torpedo team of my birth year came to a tournament in Sarov,” Silayev recalls. “The coaches saw me, and we got acquainted. They talked to my dad, exchanged phone numbers, and within a week I went to my first practice in Nizhny Novgorod. I tried to attend practices every week and didn’t miss tournaments. In 2017, I moved to Nizhny Novgorod full-time.” That also meant that Silayev earlier was going there every day. “It was tough,” he admits. “It’s a trip that lasts about 180 kilometers. We left early in the morning, I practiced there, and then we returned in the evening. Now that I’m learning to drive, I understand what my dad went through.”
And considering all the success Silayev had this season, it looks like all this path came to a successful start of a fantastic career in the pros.
