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2nd choice: “Anton Silayev is part of the conversation in Chicago”.

 Emma Wilson
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2nd choice: “Anton Silayev is part of the conversation in Chicago”.
Credit: Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
By the end of the month, the best prospects in the world of hockey will have joined their new organization on the heels of the draft. Remember that the auction takes place on June 28 and 29.

What we do know is that Macklin Celebrini will almost certainly be drafted first overall by the Sharks. After that, it’s hard to know what to expect.

It’s very hard to know who the Habs will pick at No. 5, given the uncertainty surrounding the 2nd, 3rd and 4th picks.

For the Blackhawks, who draft at No. 2, it’s likely to come down to Ivan Demidov or Artyom Levshunov. In fact, it will probably depend on whether the club prefers a winger or a defenseman.

If Chicago wants a defenseman, Anton Silayev is also a name that could interest the team. And according to Scott Powers, who covers the Blackhawks for The Athletic, Silayev is part of the conversation for the 2nd pick right now.

At the moment, Silayev seems to be lagging behind Demidov and Levshunov. That said, a 6-foot-7 defenseman is bound to attract a lot of attention… especially when there are well-placed people pushing for him.

Igor Larionov, who coaches Silayev in the KHL (Bogdan Konyushkov is also on that team), had some good things to say about the big defenseman. In fact, in his interview with Powers, he mentioned the names of Nicklas Lidström and Börje Salming when talking about the kid.

He’s not necessarily comparing Silayev to the two legends: in fact, he’s trying to make him an extremely intelligent defenseman in the Lidström mold while trying to teach him Salming’s offensive instincts. Let’s not forget that Larionov played alongside Lidström for a long time and was a good friend of Salming, so he knows both guys pretty well.

At the same time, in Montreal, we know that being “compared” to Lidström doesn’t mean much, according to Mattias Norlinder.

If the kid ‘s size catches the Blackhawks’ eye and they’re looking for a defenseman, there’s a good chance he’ll end up in Chicago.

At the moment, it’s not the most likely avenue, but if he’s in the discussions…


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