ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have officially signed forward Danila Yurov, their first-round selection from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, to a three-year, entry-level contract. The signing was announced on Friday.
Yurov spent the past five seasons playing in Russia`s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Over 209 career KHL games, he recorded 41 goals, 47 assists, and a cumulative plus-41 rating. He added 8 goals in 61 playoff contests, helping Metallurg win the Gagarin Cup championship last season.
Yurov, the 24th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, previously earned a silver medal with Russia at the 2021 World Junior Championship. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 176 pounds, the 21-year-old forward is expected to have a strong chance of making the Wild roster next season, particularly given the team`s current need for depth at the center position behind established player Joel Eriksson Ek.
General manager Bill Guerin commented on Yurov`s potential role, stating,
Centre is a very difficult position to play as a young player. We`d like to see him there, see how he does, and then we`ll go from there. Just like any other young player, defensively, you really have to want to play a 200-foot game. That`s going to be really important for him, especially where our team`s at.
Tristan Blackwood