Russian forward Danila Yurov is having an encouraging start to his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild. Drafted 24th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Yurov netted his first NHL goal in a 3-1 Wild win over the New York Rangers on Oct. 20. He now has two goals through thirteen games.
In this translated interview, originally appearing on the Russian website Sport-Express, Yurov talked about adapting to North American hockey, the excitement of scoring his first NHL goal, and his hopes for continuing to improve with the Wild this season.
**You can read the original interview in Yurov’s native Russian by Fyodor Nosov on Sport-Express here**
“I felt relieved,” Yurov said of scoring his first goal. “I couldn’t score for a long time; I had chances but couldn’t convert them. My childhood dream came true. I hope this won’t be my last goal in the NHL. I dedicate it to my family, parents, sister, girlfriend, and coaches who worked with me. Everyone contributed a lot to this stage I’m going through. I thanked everyone who wrote to me.”
Yurov’s First NHL Goal
Veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko did most of the work on Yurov’s first goal, and Yurov would like to get him back. “I asked after the game how it works here,” he said. “They told me there’s no such tradition here. When we have more free time during the next road trip, we’ll go out for dinner with the Russian guys and maybe invite some teammates. I’ll take care of it.”
However, he said he won’t limit himself by sticking with his countrymen. “On our team, people don’t just stick to their own groups,” Yurov explained. “Everyone communicates with everyone. Most often, I talk to Jesper Wallstedt and David Jiricek, but mainly with the Russian guys. We spend a lot of time together after practices, on the ice, in the gym.”
Before the game against the Rangers, Yurov promised to score against goaltender Igor Shesterkin. “We were having dinner with my agent, and he asked me, ‘Will you score on him?’ I said I would.” Yurov said. “That’s how it turned out. But I didn’t have the specific goal to score on Igor.” He didn’t have the time to discuss the goal with Shesterkin, however. “I didn’t see him after the game. During the game, it wasn’t the right moment—we had to break our losing streak.”
Shesterkin wasn’t the only one that Yurov had targeted. He had another. “But he retired in the spring.” He was referring to goaltending legend Marc-Andre Fleury.
Russian Teammates Helping Yurov Adapt to the NHL
While Yurov continues to adapt to the NHL game, it’s helped to have Russian players in the locker room. With Kirill Kaprizov, Tarasenko, and Yakov Trenin, he has plenty of support. “They have a lot of experience,” he noted. “Vladimir [Tarasenko] gave me tips during the game against the Rangers. Every day, they advise me on things about the game and daily life. It’s a normal process. It’s good that there are three of them—it makes it much easier for me to adapt and get used to things that are new for me.”
Yurov was held off the scoresheet for a long time before his first goal. “I handled such streaks before, even longer ones, so I felt no pressure,” he said. “I tried to play for the team, enjoy the game. I have the chance to play in the best league in the world, and with hard work, everything will pass. I didn’t get fixated on points; I did what the coach asked and played for the team.”
With the Wild, Yurov is now playing under John Hynes, who is very different from his old coach in the Kontinental Hockey League, Andrei Razin. A 2001 NHL draft pick by the Philadelphia Flyers, Razin prefers an offensive, high-tempo style of play, and Yurov thrived in that dynamic and unpredictable system.
“Their styles aren’t that similar,” Yurov explains of the two coaches. “In this league, there aren’t any coaches who play such attacking hockey as we did under Razin. Here, it’s more about puck battles and a more straightforward game. It’s a good experience for me because this coach will go to the Olympics with Team USA—he’s been with them at the World Championships.”
Working With Hynes
Yurov’s former teammate with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Egor Yakovlev, worked with Hynes in New Jersey and shared his thoughts with the Russian rookie. “Though he didn’t give me any specific tips, we just talked,” he recalled. “Egor said he’s more of a defensive coach, that he focuses on defense. Here, everything is faster. You need to speed up the game. In the KHL, there’s more room for creativity. In the NHL, hockey is more systematic; you have to be patient and wait for chances at the net.”
Yurov’s current teammate, Kaprizov, will become the highest-paid hockey player when his new contract kicks in. “I just congratulated him,” he said. “He signed a good contract—it’s a reward for all his hard work since childhood.” Yurov appreciates his talent. “He reads the game well, doesn’t rush, knows how to pause. When everyone’s racing back on defense, he can hit the brakes—and a passing opportunity opens up for him. He’s cold-blooded.”
Getting anywhere close to Kaprizov’s level will be hard, but Yurov continues to prove that he belongs in the NHL as he works to develop and improve his NHL game.
