Montreal Canadiens: Bob McKenzie’s Ranking Gives Sneak Peak To Habs Potential Next Top Pick

The Final Two Prospects

Anton Silayev

Anton Silayev might have all the tools to be a top-pair defenseman, he played in the KHL as a 17-year-old this past season and didn’t look out of place which speaks to the brilliance of the young man’s defensive game. When you see a 6’7″ left-shot defenseman, who looks so comfortable at a young age against men, it’s hard not to think of Victor Hedman. Before anybody tries to admit me to an asylum for saying he is the next Hedman, I want to say, I don’t believe he will be, but his frame is comparable.

A knock was his skating and that is something that he improved on this summer, as evidenced by his comfortability through three KHL games so far this season. The most fascinating thing about the behemoth Russian defender is that he was nowhere near any scouts’ top 30, he wasn’t even ranked, but his performance through a handful of games has scouts divided. He looks primed to put himself into the conversation as one of the drafts’ best blueliners, meaning he is a player Canadiens scouts will follow closely this season.

Aron Kiviharju

Aron Kiviharju is an above-average, left-shot offensive defenseman, who needs to prove his offensive upside can cover for his lack of size and physical strength. His skating is quick and has a high level of deceptiveness, which allows the young Finn to burn defenders in his own zone, before pushing the puck up the ice. Adding some weight to his frame, which is sort of a universal thing for many of the eligible draftees, would definitely benefit him with a harder shot and stronger core.

The skating and high hockey IQ are really the biggest strengths of his game, and they allow him to make defenders miss hits on him all over the ice. He thrived in Liiga as a 16-year-old and his playmaking ability was a huge reason for his three assists last year. With experience in hand and the confidence from playing so well, he could really skyrocket up the rankings with a strong outing this season.

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