Minnesota Wild’s Danila Yurov on NHL Debut, Kaprizov’s Guidance & Stanley Cup Dreams

Russian forward Danila Yurov had a strong rookie season in the league with the Minnesota Wild, after the franchise selected him 24th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. In this translated interview, originally appearing on the Russian website Bookmaker-ratings.ru, Yurov talked about his rookie NHL season, learning from veteran teammates, the Wild’s playoff run, and his Stanley Cup ambitions.

**You can read the original interview in Yurov’s native Russian by Olesya Usova on Bookmaker-ratings.ru here**

Rookie Reflections

It was Yurov’s debut season in the NHL. The Chelyabinsk, Russia, native posted 27 points in 73 regular-season games, adding one goal and two assists across nine postseason appearances. “There is always room to improve,” Yurov judges his rookie campaign. “On a five‑point scale, I would give it a four minus. I gained a lot of experience.”

He started his new challenge with a fresh mind. “I actually didn’t have any expectations,” the forward explains. “It is a different world over there, a different approach, a different schedule. I just tried to work every day and let things happen as they may. I could have picked up 5–7 more points and played with more composure. There is plenty to work on.”

Russian Connection

Yurov was lucky to have a lot of Russians in Minnesota as he played side-to-side with Kirill Kaprizov, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Yakov Trenin. That meant an easier adaptation to his new reality. “We spoke Russian a lot,” he confirms. “I wouldn’t say I had any real problems with English, but it is still more comfortable when you speak your own language. We spent a lot of time playing as an all‑Russian line, and the chemistry was really good. When you have your own guys around, it is easier to ease into North American hockey.”

Playing with his fellow countrymen was easier for Yurov. “If the game was not going our way, we would agree to simplify things. And if the opportunity arose, we would try to be creative. Russian‑speaking players have their own view of the game; we are taught hockey in a different way. It was great to get the chance to play together. I think we did not let the coaching staff down, and I hope we will get more time together next season.”

Other Russian players helped Yurov a lot. “When I was living in a hotel, they helped with laundry, deliveries and other little things,” he explains. “It is great when you have such a Russian “diaspora” around you. You didn’t even have to ask them for help.” One could hear a lot of Russian spoken in the locker room. “Even though they were pushing us to speak English, we kept doing things our way.”

Other team players know a little bit about the language. “They know the swear words without us,” Yurov confirms. “I think everyone has played with Russians before. If someone is interested, they will come and ask about some basic phrases, but they don’t really ask that often. They mostly ask about the KHL and the level of the league. Some of them have friends playing for KHL teams.”

Playoff Lessons

Vladimir Tarasenko and Kirill Kaprizov gave Yurov precious advice. “In the playoffs in particular they kept encouraging me and giving me pointers,” the rookie said about his experience with the veterans. “We also talked a lot early in the season. I was not used to playing just seven or eight minutes a night, so they were basically my personal psychologists. I was glad I had people I could turn to for advice and learn how to act in different situations. With hard work and patience everything will come.”

They helped since the very beginning. “When I first arrived, I watched them a lot, how they battle along the boards, in the corners, on faceoffs, little tricks they use. I learned a lot of new things that helped me improve my game as the season went on.”

People say that the big contract did not change Kirill Kaprizov at all. “Yes, one hundred percent,” Yurov says. “He loves his homeland and misses Russia a lot. Plus he has his sauna, hunting and fishing there. If I had the chance, I would also try to live in the countryside, with fresh air and beautiful nature. In that sense we are all a little jealous of him.”

In the last campaign, the Wild suffered a second-round exit to the Colorado Avalanche. “In the end it was not so much that they beat us as that we lost. Everything was in our hands. In Game 5 we were up 3–0, and we could have calmly closed it out and finished the series. At some point we probably thought the game was already won, while Colorado, on the contrary, knew they could not afford to let it go to Game 6 because that could have been dangerous for them.”

“Later, when the coaches and players sit down together, we will think it through, draw conclusions and figure out where we needed to play better and what we have to add. I hope next year we will be playing in the Final.”

Yurov was then surprised that Colorado was swept by Vegas in the next round. “Very surprised,” he says. “I didn’t expect Colorado to be unable to break down Vegas’s defense, especially with the kind of forwards they have and the depth in their lineup.”

It was his first run in the NHL playoffs for the rookie forward, who admits his need to improve. “The first series against Dallas was tough, but against Colorado it was more or less okay — the points started to come. Now I know how to play in the NHL playoffs and how to prepare for those games. And the fact that we went out in the second round only adds more fire. In my first year I was so close to that dream, but it feels like something is left unfinished. So I need to reset and try to achieve the ultimate goal every hockey player has.”

During the playoffs, however, Yurov has also been a healthy scratch for the Wild. “It was no problem at all,” the forward says. “The main thing is for the team to win. When I was younger, people told me that all the names are written on the Cup. If the coach sees it that way, he has every right to make that decision, he is my boss.”

“My job is to show up for work every day. So I accepted it calmly. I even told the coach he does not have to explain to me why I was taken out of the lineup. I understand everything is done for the good of the team. Any means are good if they lead to victory. It is a men’s locker room and a working environment, so there are no hard feelings.”

Naturally, Yurov also had to adapt not only to North American hockey, but also to local coaches, another aspect that it’s very different from what he was used to at home in Russia. “The coaches here focus more on making sure your mindset is right, so you do not carry grudges or get in your own head. They try to talk to the player and support him. For me it is easier over there in that sense, because I can always come up and ask questions, and they will have no problem explaining everything. The coach does a huge amount of work for the team to make sure everyone is equal and honest with one another.”

After his rookie season with the Wild, Yurov feels the state the hockey capital of the United States. “I have never seen that kind of atmosphere anywhere else,” the forward says. “Obviously there are Montreal and Toronto, but that is already not the U.S. When we played on the road against Dallas, it felt almost quiet out there, while our rink at home was absolutely rocking. Colorado did not have that kind of support either.”

Minnesota somewhat reminds him of his hometown Chelyabinsk. “The weather and the climate are similar. The winter is long, and there are lots of outdoor rinks, and in winter there is no heat like you get in Texas or California. And when you drive around, it is lakes, lakes, lakes. There are many similarities — Yakov Trenin has mentioned it as well. So for me it is an awesome state to live in, and it makes the homesickness easier to deal with.”

Stanley Cup Dreams

As regards with the next season, he already knows what his goals are. “To win the Stanley Cup. Every year you have to set the highest possible goals. We have all the tools, it is a good team. We are capable of winning it.” And with the team’s offseason work, the Wild may be an inch closer to their ultimate dream.