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By Kalisha Turnipseed -
Danila Yurov has emerged as the Minnesota Wild’s top prospect while we're getting mixed messages about whether Yurov has or hasn't yet signed with the KHL's Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the signs point towards him staying in Russia. If he extends with the KHL, the Wild will be lucky that Yurov only plans to sign a one-year deal.
Bill Guerin has Frederick Gaudreau, Marcus Johansson, Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, and Marcus Foligno under contract. As a result, Yurov may be questioning his future in Minnesota. The extensions also limit the Wild from improving within their top nine at the trade deadline. Therefore, Minnesota is wise to stand pat at forward until Yurov’s arrival.
Yurov is expected to join the Wild for the 2025-26 season, but there's no guarantee that will happen. He could choose to stay in the KHL. Why? Because the Wild are not showing urgency in persuading him to come to Minnesota.
Here are a couple of quotes from a recent Yurov interview (translated from Russian):
Have you talked to Kaprizov about moving to Minnesota?
Only in summer. During the season - no?
Did [Guerin] call you to his place?
No, I didn’t advise anything, I only said that you can develop in both leagues. Of course, he would have been glad to see me there, but he didn’t persuade me.
Yurov talks about how neither he nor Kaprizov have been in close communication, and that was a factor pushing Yurov to stay in Russia. Yurov and Kaprizov were in contact during the summer, but Kaprizov hasn't pursued Yurov aggressively. Perhaps it’s because the Wild extended Mats Zuccarello? Regardless, it’s hard to think that it’s a positive sign after hearing Yurov and Kaprizov reportedly want to play with one another.
Below are a couple of quotes from Michael Russo's article in The Athletic about the team’s comfort with Yorov extending in Russia, which mentions the extensions:
Now, the one concern Yurov and his camp may have is where Yurov fits down the road, just because of recent extensions to veterans Mats Zuccarello (two years starting in 2024-25), Ryan Hartman (three years starting in 2024-25), Marcus Foligno (four years starting in 2024-25) and Freddy Gaudreau (in the first year of a five-year deal).
Granted, it's good for Yurov to continue scoring at will and get top playing minutes in the KHL rather than having to develop in North America. By staying in Russia, Yurov can be satisfied financially and solidly in place as Metallurg's star player. However, it sounds discouraging to hear that Minnesota’s contract extensions interfere with Yurov’s arrival. They’re likely affecting other prospects, too. Adam Beckman has hardly touched NHL ice, likely because there isn’t room for him on the roster. While he's not the kind of player Yurov is, he has had limited NHL opportunities. Yurov probably wants to avoid bouncing between the NHL and the AHL.
Yurov should be concerned with his future role with the team if the Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno extensions that start in the 2024-25 season mean that they will continue getting top-nine minutes. Their extensions may influence Yurov's playing time, position, or overall importance within the team structure in the coming years, and he'll likely refuse to go to Iowa. Yurov and his camp will need to strategize heading into next season. Yurov must showcase his skills and value to the Wild to force his way into being a core player.
“With Kaprizov locked up for two years after this season (and, the team hopes, way longer),” Russo wrote, “Matt Boldy six after this, Joel Eriksson Ek five after this, and Marco Rossi (second among NHL rookies with 11 goals and 21 points) likely here long-term, there are not a lot of top-six roles in the offing.”
Yurov should get ice time with Kaprizov, Boldy, Eriksson Ek, and Rossi to maximize his production and firepower up front. If anything, it's time to make a scoring top-nine, not a skilled top-six and grinder bottom-six. Hartman, Foligno, and Gaudreau can be the team’s new shutdown fourth-line. The Wild can’t need scoring depth and claim there is no room for young players on the roster.
They should welcome Marat Khusnutdinov to the team this season, and playing with another fellow Russian should appeal to Yurov. That’s why the Wild should guarantee Yurov a top-nine role in 2025-26. They can’t afford Yurov to sign a multi-year deal in the KHL or lose him because they’ve over-committed to lesser players. It’s time to prioritize Yurov to start becoming a Stanley Cup contender.
Kaprizov will be in his contract year in 2025-26, and adding another Russian player should help keep Kaprizov in Minnesota. Zuccarello will be an Unrestricted Free Agent, and the Wild shouldn’t extend him into his age-40 season. Still, they have something to convince Kaprizov to stay in Minnesota because he and Yurov (and possibly Khusnutdinov) can reach another level together. That’s why Yurov can’t stay in Russia, delaying the experience of watching Kaprizov and Yurov dominate. Will Khusnutdinov help Yurov ensure Kaprizov will stay? At this point, this is what needs to happen.
Yurov can replace Marcus Johansson, who the Wild can’t continue extending for the risk of making it less likely that Yurov will come over. Yurov is a younger player, who might be projected to more than replace Johansson’s scoring right away. There isn't that upside with Johansson -- he is who he is. Zuccarello and Foligno have No-Movement Clauses. Gaudreau and Hartman will have modified No-Trade Clauses. Moving one of them also opens a roster spot for Yurov. Then what about Vladislav Firstov, who may be set to make an appearance at the same time? Don't forget about Liam Öhgren, Minnesota's other first-rounder in 2022, either.
Minnesota’s priority should be icing a top-nine of Kaprizov, Boldy, Rossi, Eriksson Ek, Yurov, Khusnutdinov, Zuccarello, Firstov, and Öhgren. That would prioritize their future stars and make their current core stronger.
The Wild must approach the trade deadline to add draft picks and improve depth in Iowa. Guerin needs to take that approach to improve call-up depth and continue to leverage Judd Brackett’s expertise to build throughout the system. Yurov will soon see how much he's valued and will come to North America. He’s a superstar in the making for the Wild. And if the Xcel Energy Center starts regular “We Want Yurov” chants, that can't hurt in convincing him to come over, either!
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