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  • 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. 

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    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  

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    mnfaninnc

    Well, I wasn't happy about last night's outcome vs. Nashville. If 3 fights + getting first goal was the goal of the night, well then, we did pretty well. But this was never my goal. 

    After this happened, essentially, it looked like everyone was relieved and played a pretty finesse game the rest of the way. The team was supposed to build off of these things, be hard to play against, FINISH A CHECK (forwards) and not let anybody inside on MAF.  Fleury did not have a spectacular game and the Forsberg goal at the end of a PP was a killer.

    The team, itself look ridiculously slow, so I'm guessing that while they did their best, several of them are still dealing with a bug that has sapped their energy. These things happen and are a popular reason why teams go into slumps. I think this is where we are right now.

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    MacGyver

    The Preds were not surprised by the Wild throwing pillow fights last night. The Preds have a bad attitude because of how poorly they have been playing against expectations. They have now won three in a row and six of eleven I believe. If they  go on a heater like they did last year and reel off 15 or 16  they could find themselves in a wild card hole. If this team suddenly gels and I'm sure they are feeling better about themselves they could make it tough on some teams the last half and play the spoilers.  The Wild should be glad they don't see them any more this year. 

    As far as Yurov he isn't here until he is. Strange things happen in Russia. And then once he is here we will see. Prospects are prospects until they actually occupy the spot in the top six everyone likes to pencil them in at way in advance. Seems we are always out over the front of our skis when it comes to prospects.  Wallstedt was supposed to be competing for the Vezina if not already having  won one by now in a lot of peoples minds. Iowa seems to be where prospects go to die. 

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    Pewterschmidt

    You didn’t hear it from me but lots of people are saying that ogz gets dealt as part of a package to bring a legit nhl top 6’r

    ogz got no dog in him (Nino light) and Guerin knows it by now.  I wouldn’t rule out Ogz being dealt at this years deadline

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    MacGyver
    1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    You didn’t hear it from me but lots of people are saying that ogz gets dealt as part of a package to bring a legit nhl top 6’r

    ogz got no dog in him (Nino light) and Guerin knows it by now.  I wouldn’t rule out Ogz being dealt at this years deadline

    Canucks are going to be sellers soon. Billy is checking the size of that Boeser jersey he has hanging in his office. 

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    mnhockeyfan03
    7 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

    Canucks are going to be sellers soon. Billy is checking the size of that Boeser jersey he has hanging in his office. 

    No to Boeser.  Not what team needs

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    MacGyver
    2 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

    No to Boeser.  Not what team needs

    Agreed but Boeser has been vocal in the past about wanting to coming here. He's a Minnesota boy and the type of player Billy likes.  He brings a $6.6M cap hit though so that brings it's own problems for Billy. But if Boeser wants to be here maybe Vancouver keeps some money? Who knows but I'm not going to be surprised if this is Billy's move. On the flip side if he really wants to be here he could be motivated and put up some serious points. 

    Edited by MacGyver
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    mnhockeyfan03
    14 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

    Agreed but Boeser has been vocal in the past about wanting to coming here. He's a Minnesota boy and the type of player Billy likes.  He brings a $6.6M cap hit though so that brings it's own problems for Billy. But if Boeser wants to be here maybe Vancouver keeps some money? Who knows but I'm not going to be surprised if this is Billy's move. On the flip side if he really wants to be here he could be motivated and put up some serious points. 

    Even if he wants to come here don’t bring him here.  He plays a small game and not physical at all and not what we need on this team.  We already have way too many small players on this team.  Rossi against any playoff team in the west this year has been getting manhandled.  He does great against the east as they don’t check or against the bad west teams.  Any physical west teams he struggles.  Same thing with Zuccarello.  The sooner we can move off of Rossi, Zuccarello, Spurgeon, Nojo, Hartman, and Freddie the better of this team will be.  Look at all the good teams in the west.  They are all big and can skate.  We have some guys that can skate but not big so they just get pushed out of the way and it will only get worse in the playoffs.  

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    1Brotherbill

    ELC contract would be nice.  But does he actually come to St. Paul?  If everyone is back and playing well I doubt they bring him up and burn the first year of his contract.  Wild tend to think money over development.  I guess with dead money that is a priority.  However, if the team still has the injury bug then he probably comes to St. Paul.  

    It will be interesting next season when both Yurov, Ohgren, and Buium are all three rookies and are in the Calder conversation.  That is if they keep Ohgren under 25 games this year.

    It seems like dumb rules for eligibility but you have to be under 25, played under 25 games in an NHL season, and under 6 in two previous seasons.

    With those eligibility requirements Wallstedt would be eligible if he makes it to St. Paul next year. 

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    Luke Sims
    On 1/18/2025 at 12:55 PM, FredJohnson said:

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

    He's actually been pretty solid lately...

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    Enforceror

    Ok, answering my own question. Two players listed as center have higher TOI than Yurov. Not sure if either are playing wing. 

    Yurov 15:28

    Lucas Johnson 17:08 Age 30 45gp w/ 8/9/17p

    Denis Zernov 16:42 Age29 30gp w/ 7/6/13p

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