Silaev expected to stay with Devils after meeting standards

Anton Silaev is expected to remain with the New Jersey Devils for the start of the season after his agent confirmed the player has met the club’s standards.

Alexei Dementiev, who represents the 20-year-old defender, said the transition from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod has been smooth. “Everything is good, we are blowing on the water,” he said. “Everyone is satisfied.”

Dementiev noted that key players in the locker room have taken the initiative to welcome Silaev, inviting him to dinner and starting conversations. This, he said, indicates the player is being accepted mentally into the core group.

While the final decision is pending, Dementiev sees a strong probability Silaev will not be assigned to the American Hockey League. He cited the player’s size, skating, game understanding and adaptation as factors meeting NHL requirements.

That level of acceptance among teammates is one of the main components of success, Dementiev added.