Article: Danila Yurov Is Becoming A Viable Top Center Alternative

[Kalisha Turnipseed]

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[Citizen Strife]

The waiting game hurts

[B1GKappa97]

Super excited to see Yurov and Kaprizov playing together in a year or two. Hopefully they do put him at C because that'll give us enviable center depth up and down the lineup. If he turns into a legit C1 as expected, we'll then have:

Yurov-Rossi-Ek-Gaudreau down the middle which is probably the best we've had since, idk, 2016-2017 when we had Staal-Koivu-Hanzal-Haula down the middle. 

Could be a pretty exciting team in a couple years if they land a top-pairing defenseman at the top of the draft too:

Zuccy-Yurov-Kaprizov

Boldy-Ek-Rossi

Foligno-Hartman-Gaudreau

Dewar-Khusnutdinov-Firstov?

Faber - Dickinson

Spurgy - Brodin

Hunt - Middsy

Gustavsson

Wallstedt

Looks like a Cup winner to me! 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Going from 11th highest point total among forwards on his team last season to become the #1 player on his team in total points this season is phenomenal.

It's particularly impressive given that his team is currently leading the KHL in points(2nd in points percentage), and Yurov is leading his team in +/-.

[Protec]

So why did the Wild take Ohgren first?

Yurov has been hurt less and doing better. 

[B1GKappa97]

10 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Going from 11th highest point total among forwards on his team last season to become the #1 player on his team in total points this season is phenomenal.

It's particularly impressive given that his team is currently leading the KHL in points(2nd in points percentage), and Yurov is leading his team in +/-.

https://www.quanthockey.com/khl/player-age/20-year-old-khl-players.html

Only 4 away, with 3 more games to play, from the record! 

[Protec]

^^^

He can probably expect to at least tie or be 2nd. It's realistic that he can get the record. He's got the good juju goin. 

[B1GKappa97]

13 minutes ago, Protec said:

So why did the Wild take Ohgren first?

Yurov has been hurt less and doing better. 

They correctly read the room that Yurov would be available with their own pick. 

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

Anyone else been paying attention to the Iowa Wild? We are second worst in the AHL right now, even with the guys Guerin brought in to reinforce in the offseason. Thinking Brett might not last long behind the bench at this rate, they are looking awful. Also puts a bit of a damper on my hopes for this draft class of defensemen. They all seem to be playing abysmally, more offence than defense there.

 

Any of you fine folks been watching their games to give us some insight?

[Imyourhuckleberry]

20 minutes ago, Protec said:

So why did the Wild take Ohgren first?

Yurov has been hurt less and doing better. 

At the time, Ohgren seemed like a sure thing and Yurov was more projection, although many were suggesting he should go top 10. Wild lucked out there on international perception as the Russian players were sliding down the draft a bit.

Ohgren was at nearly 2 points per game in the Swedish junior leagues, and a strong 2-way player. Yurov was harder to scout, and teams didn't know how available they would be in the upcoming years.

I imagine many teams could be kicking themselves in a couple of years for passing on him. The Wild were very lucky to land him 5 picks after Ohgren.

[Citizen Strife]

The thing is, taking Ohgren doesn't hurt the team either.  For all the "are they 1C material" discussion, there is almost as much, if not more importance on quality depth.  The Wild hit on Faber big, and Rossi is no slouch either.  Imagine if all of Yurov, Khusnutdinov, and Ohgren hit too: that solves so many issues for those 1-3 lines, that free agency is less of a concern.

I still think defense is the biggest thing holding the team back, but forward depth and scoring consistency has to be second right now.

Barring anything, just fielding a younger, hopefully bigger and faster overall team could be a boon all its own.

 

 

Edited February 1 by Citizen Strife

[MNCountryLife]

Our biggest issue is our lack of depth at defense.  Losing Spurgeon has exposed it dramatically.  Brodin, Faber, Middleton and Bogosian have played well.   Our 3rd pairing drops off considerably.  Spurgeon returning will help.  But injuries happen and you need 7 solid D to be a legit cup contender rather than a bubble team or a bottom dweller.  

Yes, we do need help at center as well.  I've watched several goals in the last few games where Freddy or Nojo let their guy go on D and we got scored on.  

[MNCountryLife]

2 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

Faber - Dickinson

Who is Dickinson?

[Citizen Strife]

 

44 minutes ago, MNCountryLife said:

Who is Dickinson?

A top defensive draft option I think.

[B1GKappa97]

1 hour ago, MNCountryLife said:

Who is Dickinson?

Sam Dickinson. If we get #6 he might fall to us because he is currently more of a defensive defensemen, similar to Fabes. He's got the tools to be a two-way force though according to most scouting reports I've read. 

Dude should be legit very early on. Probably the safest pick in the draft outside of Celebrini. 

http://www.mynhldraft.com/2024-nhl-draft/player-profiles/Sam-Dickinson

[B1GKappa97]

1 hour ago, MNCountryLife said:

Our biggest issue is our lack of depth at defense.  Losing Spurgeon has exposed it dramatically.  Brodin, Faber, Middleton and Bogosian have played well.   Our 3rd pairing drops off considerably.  Spurgeon returning will help.  But injuries happen and you need 7 solid D to be a legit cup contender rather than a bubble team or a bottom dweller.  

Yes, we do need help at center as well.  I've watched several goals in the last few games where Freddy or Nojo let their guy go on D and we got scored on.  

Yeah and given that none of the AHL guys seem to be ready to overtake Goose or Mermis or Merill, I think that's going to be what they look to address early in the draft.

Its just too big of a need, and too good of a draft class for defensemen, not to grab one. Unless all the top-5 blue liners get taken before us... and then, shucks, we're stuck with a sniper like Eiserman or a giant top-line C like Lindstrom.

[B1GKappa97]

Also with Fantilli out for 8 weeks, I recommend you chaps get in your bets for Faber to take the Calder home!! 

[B1GKappa97]

Oh wow. Also. Check this out from Russo:

Quote

According to a report, his KHL team offered him a contract worth 30 million rubles, which is the equivalent of about $330,000. That’s a pretty low offer for a 20-year-old star who has scored 19 goals and 43 points in 53 games this season.

Yurov, 20, would likely start next season in Iowa if he came over. That’s why the Wild indicated that they’d be fine if he opted to continue his development in the AHL. And while $330,000 is more money than he could make if he spent all of next season in the AHL, is that enough for him to pass up signing his maximum three-year, $2.85 million ($950,000 a year plus potential bonuses) later this offseason and get his North American pro career started?

Come on over, kid! 

[Protec]

Will Dickinson go in the top 5? Seems like he would if he's top defender in the OHL. 

[Up North Guy]

On 2/1/2024 at 11:27 AM, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

Anyone else been paying attention to the Iowa Wild? We are second worst in the AHL right now, even with the guys Guerin brought in to reinforce in the offseason. Thinking Brett might not last long behind the bench at this rate, they are looking awful. Also puts a bit of a damper on my hopes for this draft class of defensemen. They all seem to be playing abysmally, more offence than defense there.

 

Any of you fine folks been watching their games to give us some insight?

Don't forget how many guys from Iowa are or have been up with the big club. Mermes, Lettieri, Lucci, Wallstedt, and more. And these have not been 1-2 game call-ups.