Jump to content
Hockey Wilderness Zone Coverage Property

  • Danila Yurov Intends To Sign In Minnesota At the End Of His KHL Season

    Image courtesy of Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
    Luke Sims

    By Luke Sims -

    Let the Danila Yurov era begin.

    Yurov will officially join the Minnesota Wild this season. While the KHL season extends until the end of May, according to his agent and KHL reporter Daria Tuboltseva, Yurov plans to travel to North America after his season ends in Russia. 

    Reporter Marco D’Amico informed Hockey Wilderness, “We spoke with Danila Yurov's agent, and they confirmed having refused Metallurg's latest contract extension attempts and have informed them that Yurov will seek to sign his ELC at season's end.” 

    That’s wonderful news for Minnesota because Yurov could be a future franchise cornerstone at either center or wing. The Wild took him 22nd overall in the 2022 draft, and while he’s been less productive this year than last, he’s displayed game-changing skills in the KHL. 

    He’s only recorded 20 points in 37 games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. However, he suffered an injury early in the year that may have slowed him down. However, he looked special last season, recording 49 points in 62 games while leading the team in scoring as a 20-year-old. 

    In his first and second seasons after the Wild drafted him, Yurov scored 27 goals and 58 points in 84 games. That’s the most for a player his age in KHL history, even more than Kirill Kaprizov. Yurov broke Vladamir Taresenko’s KHL record for most points in a season by a 20-year-old player. 

    image.png

    Yurov could have made his way over to Minnesota after the conclusion of last season but chose to sign a one-year deal to play another season in the KHL. The Wild were comfortable with him staying and developing one more season in Russia. 

    At the 2022 draft, Yurov said his goal was to play in the NHL one day and that he wanted to come to Minnesota. It had taken the Wild five years after drafting Kaprizov in the fifth round of the 2015 draft to get him to America. They wanted Yurov to arrive earlier. 

    However, the Wild may not have the roster slots or cap space to bring Yurov over and have him play NHL games this season. Mettalurg is currently third in their division, putting them in the playoff hunt. 

    Bringing Yurov over will not be like the Marat Khusnutdinov situation because of Yurov’s importance to the team's success and desire to contend in the playoffs. Khusnutdinov previously played for Sochi, who missed the playoffs. Magnitogorsk would have to terminate Yurov’s contract, and it most likely won’t do that with one of their star players. 

    It appears that Yurov will be a full-time member of the Wild in 2025-26, joining fellow Russians Kaprizov and Khusnutdinov. Yurov could take a spot on the wing or play a role up the middle. The Wild believe he has the potential to fill either role. 

    By declining his KHL offer, Yurov is creating genuine hope for Wild fans and the organization, given his unique abilities. Yurov has the tools to be a star in the league, and now it’s time to wait with anticipation, not trepidation, for his arrival. 

    All stats and data via Elite Prospect and Hockey Prospecting unless otherwise noted. 

    By Luke Sims  

    Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 5
    Go to articles

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Featured Comments

    Imyourhuckleberry

    A number of the scorers for his team have missed time this season, which likely has lowered his point totals, but very promising to see Yurov leading his team in +/- at +11 this year, after leading his team in points last season. This year's team really struggled early on while he was returning from injury.

    Very excited to see he'll be joining the Wild in 2025!

    • Like 7
    • Thanks 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Mateo3xm

    This is fantastic news. I honestly think he’s still getting over his shoulder surgery and that’s why his production is down. Having that surgery can take a year or even longer to get back to how he was previously.

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Burnt Toast

    “A Star is Born”, (Next Year) or “Gone in 60 Seconds”. (Unlikely Arrival from KHL after this season’s over.) Honorable Nonmentions… “Titanic” “ Fail to Launch”

    • Haha 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Pewterschmidt
    1 minute ago, Burnt Toast said:

    “A Star is Born”, (Next Year) or “Gone in 60 Seconds”. (Unlikely Arrival from KHL after this season’s over.) Honorable Nonmentions… “Titanic” “ Fail to Launch”

    Dishonorable Mention:

    Big Red One

     

    • Like 2
    • Haha 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Imyourhuckleberry

    Since I'm not sure everyone will go to the older thread where I posted this a little earlier, I'm posting it again here.

    Russo confirms the plan is for Ohgren on line #2, and a Faber return Saturday!

    1. Boldy-Rossi-Zuccarello

    2. Ohgren-Eriksson Ek-Hartman

    3. Foligno-Gaudreau-Trenin

    4. Shore-Khusnutdinov-Lauko

    Gaunce

    1. Middleton-Faber

    2. Chisholm-Bogosian

    3. Merrill-Jiricek

    Dermott

    • Like 8
    • Thanks 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Sam

    They say when you get stage fright to imagine the audience in their underwear. Well I think that it would help Ohgren to pretend that he’s playing against AHL players. Who knows.. it just might work.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    AKwildkraken

    I was a bit worried about Yurov's points this year and then looked at his stats on the KHL website.  I noticed he had minimal if any power play goals or assists.  Meaning that they probably aren't giving him power play minutes, this the reduction in points.  It's BS on how the KHL tries to bully their players.

    • Like 4
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    mnfaninnc

    AK is right, no PP points. I don't know if this is bullying or if it is due to his injury to start the year. However, if you look at some of his stats, he's one of the leaders of the team in points and goals, and he is leading the team in SOG, which suggests he's having a tough shooting% year. His FO% is around 50%, just below with a lot of draws taken. 

    Even in today's game, he had no points but 5 SOGs leading the roster. 

    Metallurg is tied for 2nd in their division and 3rd in their conference. They have been surging, so I'd bet on them being a 3 seed for the playoffs, or maybe they can catch Traktor. This is likely going to be another decent playoff run for them, so any help this season is likely out the window for us. 

    Luke suggests we didn't have roster space for him. As memory serves, it was never about roster space, Yurov wanted bonuses in his ELC, bonuses we could not afford with the cap penalties. I think he likely would have hit the ground running here and be in our top 6, probably in Johansson spot. Johansson either would have been traded or be our 13th forward, or be on line 4 with Lauko and MaRat. 

    I don't think this season Yurov has been bullied to sign an extension. He made it pretty clear last season he was wanting to come over and purposely signed a 1 year extension. Metallurg messed around with him 2 seasons ago, but this season they are defending their Gangarin Cup Championship, likely a greater goal. 

    On a different note, the picture above just brings back memories. To me, his body language looked pissed off that we drafted him where we did. It looked like he was surveying the room and franchises that passed him over were going to pay for it. I believe he felt like he was at worst a top 10 pick, and did not like being taken where he did. I do think he likes the potential of playing with Kaprizov, and I think once he gets here, Kaprizov will also like playing with him. 

    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Citizen Strife

    Yurov probably won't just be handed first line center with how Rossi has taken to that role this season.  I think it is up to Ohgren to prove he belongs in that 2nd line wing spot, and then you can see in camp if Yurov beats him out of that or even first wing over Zucc or second center over Ek.  

    I would not be surprised if he goes the simple route and even goes 3C with Foligno, Trenin, Hartman, etc.  I don't"to find it some indictment on a player to start there and prove they are capable.  Rossi is too freaking consistent offensively already to just say Yurov is Kap's guy day one.  

    It will be up to Ohgren and Yurov to prove the Wild don't need to spend money elsewhere.  Having options and cap spaceto shunt people down the lineup will be a nice change next year.

     

    Edited by Citizen Strife
    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Mateo3xm
    11 hours ago, AKwildkraken said:

    I was a bit worried about Yurov's points this year and then looked at his stats on the KHL website.  I noticed he had minimal if any power play goals or assists.  Meaning that they probably aren't giving him power play minutes, this the reduction in points.  It's BS on how the KHL tries to bully their players.

    Exactly. If they know a player is leaving they relegate them to the 3rd or 4th line. Same thing happened to Khusnutdinov before he came here.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    FredJohnson
    14 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

    Faber being back already makes the lines a lot better.  Chisholm and Bogo might not be ideal 2nd pairing material , but at least we know Midds and Faber can do work.

    Yeah, you know you're in trouble when Merril is in your top-4 D pairing. 😬

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    MacGyver
    38 minutes ago, OldDutchChip said:

    How wild would it be if Zuccy decides to drop the gloves and whoop that Nashville fool? I bet he could! 🍻

    I think Lauko already called dibs on that job. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    OldDutchChip
    18 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

    I think Lauko already called dibs on that job. 

    yeap it'll like be a quick 20 seconds tug of war and nothing else.

    we talked about this a ton but i think here a captain or an alternate has to answer for the idiot. that was a crazy dangerous play that took out our captain. it's a series of "bad" plays that targeted and hurt our core players.....so the message has to be sent directly to the top - go after their Captain or Alternates - unfortunately that means one of our top dogs has to step up. that leaves Ek and Boldy to go vs Forsberg. Or Faber (right after his return....no thank you) go after Josi.

    Does Ek or Boldy has it in them to do this? Or will they be our Koivus? Likely won't happen. So this "retaliation" is not going to do anything.  

     

    Edited by OldDutchChip
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    mnfaninnc

    I don't know that it has to be a fight, though fighting L'Hureaux seems pointless. Last time out, I believe it was Foligno immediately going after one of their guys, might have been Carrier. I would suggest starting line 3 with Ek at center, with the express intent of finishing every possible check in an exploding way and see how they react. Right as they take the ice, I think someone needs to tell Bogosian that Forsberg ran over his cat in the parking lot.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    OldDutchChip
    1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

    I don't know that it has to be a fight, though fighting L'Hureaux seems pointless. Last time out, I believe it was Foligno immediately going after one of their guys, might have been Carrier. I would suggest starting line 3 with Ek at center, with the express intent of finishing every possible check in an exploding way and see how they react. Right as they take the ice, I think someone needs to tell Bogosian that Forsberg ran over his cat in the parking lot.

    maybe line up boldy ek foligno bogo and merrill and go 5 v 5

    but really think it should be top dogs Ek/Boldy vs their top F/C leaders (its the leaders that answer for this and message is received) 

    • Confused 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×

×
×
  • Create New...