Danila Yurov Drafted by the Wild. Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Danila Yurov is considered one of the most promising prospects in the Minnesota Wild organization. Last season, the 20-year-old forward led his team in scoring with 21 goals and 49 points and then helped Metallurg Magnitogorsk win the Gagarin Cup, adding six goals and nine points in 23 playoff games. The Wild are excitedly waiting for the talented player's arrival. However, when it happens is still up in the air.
"I have one more year of my contract in the KHL, and the decision about a possible departure to the NHL will have to be made before the end of the season," Yurov said exclusively to RG. "Both teams will be waiting for it. I will need to decide by February-March."
John Hynes was named Wild's head coach on Nov. 27, 2023, replacing Dean Evason. Yurov confessed that he's not quite figured out Hynes' system.
"Hockey has changed dramatically under the new coach," Yurov said. "Even Kirill Kaprizov has started playing differently. I haven't figured out what kind of hockey the coach creates. It was clearer with the previous coach. Oh well. I'll have a whole year to learn the principles of the game, especially since the Wild send me clips of how the team plays so that I can note the details for myself."
After winning the Gagarin Cup, the Wild congratulated Yurov on their social networks, which pleasantly shocked the hockey player.
It was nice to know that even from a distance of almost 10,000 km, they saw me and understood the significance of the title I won."
"It's always nice to receive congratulations," Yurov said. "It means that they're watching me. When they posted a few posts with me, I was a little shocked. I immediately started getting subscribers and likes. I got 500-600 more followers on Instagram. It was nice to know that even from a distance of almost 10,000 km, they saw me and understood the significance of the title I won."
Yurov said he has permanent contact with Wild European scout Ivan Nepryaev and director of player development Brad Bombardier. When Nepryaev attended the NHL Draft in Las Vegas in June, Yurov had a video call with general manager Bill Guerin.
"We talked about everything for about 30-40 minutes," Yurov said. "He's a very nice guy, cheerful. It's nice when they make you understand you're not just another prospect. He tries to behave like that with everyone. He understands that when a young player communicates with the second person in the organization, it gives him confidence. I felt that they believed in me."
Yurov's past season was extremely successful, but he believes he still has room to grow. This is especially true since he spent the entire championship with a shoulder injury, which required surgery after he won the Cup.
"The injury didn't hinder me, but I got to the point where if I'd played a few more games, my shoulder would have popped out like an elevator," Yurov said.
"I had surgery at the same clinic as Evgeny Kuznetsov, who had a similar problem. There's even a T-shirt with his autograph hanging there. As for the recovery time, I could be ready to play somewhere around mid-September. My main personal goal for the new season is to add consistency. And the team's goal is to defend the title."
Sergey has been in sports journalism since 2007 as a reporter, editor, and manager. He has covered the Olympic Games, soccer World Cups, the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the European championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, IOC events, and many others. Sergey interviewed the sport's greatest athletes, coaches, and executives. Since 2016, he has been an Independent Senior Editor of NHL.com/ru.
