Yurov's Versatility Should Allow Him To Contribute Immediately

When the Minnesota Wild made their final training camp roster moves on Sunday, more notable than the players they cut were the players they didn’t. Rookies Danila Yurov, Liam Ohgren, and Zeev Buium all made the opening night roster. Hunter Haight will be on it as well, with Nico Sturm and Mats Zuccarello out due to injuries.

Ohgren and Haight have the most professional experience and have a chance to be important depth pieces. Still, of the three forwards, I think that Yurov’s game is the best suited to be a consistent contributor this season due to his versatility. He may not start fast out of the gates and will probably be a healthy scratch at times. However, Yurov is a player whose style can complement a wide range of linemates, as he is dependable and predictable, which is what is needed to round out a deep Wild roster. 

Yurov improved immensely as training camp progressed, looking like a player who was starting to grasp the NHL game and adjusting to the smaller North American ice after transitioning from Russia.

He isn’t ready to be a point-producer just yet. Still, Yurov joins the Minnesota Wild as a player with professional habits and an understanding of the diligence required each shift, something that separates him from most 21-year-olds.

The Wild were hoping to be able to use him at center, but it looks like he’ll be starting at wing. That’s common for a young player with little experience in North America. Having a little less responsibility will give him a chance to learn how to make an impact at an NHL pace.

Some Wild fans may not want to hear this, but at this stage of his career, Yurov reminds me a lot of Marcus Johansson. He’s an efficient transporter of the puck through all three zones and a supremely responsible player who will not cheat for offense.

Yurov is effective when driving into the zone down the wall and either swinging the puck around the boards to an incoming teammate or pulling up to allow the play to set up around him. He’s capable of getting separation, not with speed or on straight lines, but in how he creates space for himself to operate with the puck. He scans around him and finds soft spots that he can work into without skating into trouble.

I expect Yurov to be a positive possession player by the end of this season. He’s capable of turning in quality, responsible shifts on a regular basis, like the one in the clip below, taken from a preseason game against the Dallas Stars.

Yurov is capable of providing about 15 such shifts per game, which will endear him to the coaching staff as the season progresses and land him in the NHL lineup on many nights.

One issue to monitor with Yurov will be his confidence with the puck and willingness to take calculated risks. Responsible puck play goes a long way, but he’ll need to be willing to challenge defensemen with net drives and one-on-one moves. His tendency to curl back once and look for support after crossing the offensive blue line is something that opposing teams will eventually identify and try to exploit. Once they begin to anticipate it, they’ll jump on him with pressure and force turnovers.

Yurov’s physical play will also be a work in progress. He doesn’t have to throw body checks, but he needs to be stronger on his stick in puck battles and be willing to engage in contact on the wall to establish position in puck battles. When he gets the puck on his stick, he’s excellent at protecting it. However, he needs to win more 50-50 puck battles and be more aggressive on the wall.

Consistency will be crucial for Yurov this season, as it is for most rookies. On nights where his game is a little off, it’s important that he still brings a level of intensity that will allow him to compete against the best players in the world. If his intensity level starts to slip, it may be worth having him spend some time in Iowa to help him grow his confidence. 

I’m guessing that Yurov will spend most of the year in the NHL and get better as the season goes on. He’s a more complete player than Ohgren right now, and while he doesn’t have the same scoring ability, I think the Wild coaching staff will trust him more.

Between his first game at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and the close of training camp, Yurov looked like a player who was finding his legs a bit more each day. His intelligence as a player is evident, and I believe it will outweigh the areas where he has room for improvement.

I think a season output of around 8 to 10 goals and 12 to 16 assists, with quality possession numbers and the ability to play some middle six minutes, is within reach. That would be a successful rookie season for the 21-year-old.