Danila Yurov Named Minnesota Wild's 2026-27 Nhl Breakout Candidate

Danila Yurov was solid in his rookie season in the NHL, finding himself scattered around the lineup.

With injuries to players like Joel Eriksson Ek and the trade that sent Marco Rossi to the Vancouver Canucks, Yurov was forced to play up and down the lineup, occasionally finding himself alongside Kirill Kaprizov or down on the fourth line playing more of a two-way game.

Through all of that, Yurov posted 12 goals and 27 points in 73 games, averaging 13:18 of ice time. Yurov flashed some of the skill that made him the 24th overall pick of the 2022 NHL draft and a highly regarded prospect in the Wild's pipeline. 

The 22-year-old will remain an important part of the Wild's current roster and future. Most early line projections anticipate Yurov skating as the third-line center alongside Yakov Trenin and Maxim Shabonov. That trio could bode well for Yurov. Trenin is a physical force who will go to the dirty areas of the ice to win the puck, while Shabonov is more of a perimeter player with plenty of skill who can work passing plays with Yurov.

The Wild's second-line center appears to be Ryan Hartman, who will skate with Blake Coleman and Bobby Brink. With strong performances, there is an avenue for Yurov to work his way up the lineup.

TheHockeyNews.com's Jared Clinton is one of those people, as he predicts Yurov will be the Wild's breakout candidate during the 2026-27 season. 

In the 2026 Champions edition of THN.com's magazine, Clinton believes Yurov has the most room for growth.

At points this season, Danila Yurov had his detractors. But it’s important to remember the 22-year-old’s rookie campaign was a trial by fire. He was thrust into top-six duty on club with a high aspirations. That experience should serve Yurov well, however, as it surely helped him round out his game and understand the rigors of the NHL. With the right roster setup, he might become a background player, but that doesn’t mean he can’t break out beyond his 27-point output. - Jared Clinton

As mentioned previously, Yurov is skilled with the puck and excels at working passing lanes and give-and-gos. Yurov also showed that his skating is a strength in the NHL. According to NHL EDGE, Yurov ranked in the 90th percentile in max skating speed, posting a skating burst of 23.17 miles per hour. He also ranked in the 80th percentile for skating bursts greater than 22 miles per hour, the 68th percentile for skating bursts between 20-22 miles per hour, and the 62nd percentile for skating bursts between 18-20 miles per hour. 

With plenty of tools at his disposal, including a 6-foot-1 frame, Yurov has provided every reason to believe there are additional steps he can take as his game develops. 

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