ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild center Danila Yurov is beginning to find his offensive game, and head coach John Hynes believes the 22-year-old has the potential to become an important piece of the organization’s future.

Yurov scored his third goal in his last four games during Minnesota’s 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday, continuing an impressive offensive stretch for the former first-round pick.

But following the victory, Hynes made it clear that Yurov’s contributions extend well beyond his recent scoring success.

In fact, the Wild coach believes Yurov has the potential to become a first- or second-line center in the NHL.

“The puck pressure, the reads, the hockey sense with Yurov are, even last year, they’re, like I keep talking to him, he’s going to be a top-two line center the way that he thinks the game, sees the game,” Hynes said.

“Now, we’re starting to see his skating, his confidence, his offensive instincts, on top of his hockey smarts and acumen without the puck, which is excellent.”

It’s a significant endorsement from Hynes, particularly considering the attention surrounding Yurov’s future in Minnesota.

The 24th overall selection from the 2022 NHL Draft has been mentioned in trade speculation involving Detroit Red Wings former captain Dylan Larkin, an established NHL center who could immediately strengthen Minnesota’s lineup.

While there’s no indication a trade involving Yurov is imminent, his recent emergence presents an interesting situation for the Wild.

Minnesota has been looking for additional help down the middle, but one of its youngest centers is beginning to show why the organization invested a first-round selection in him.

And according to Hynes, the development taking place goes much deeper than the scoresheet.

One of the biggest challenges for young centers transitioning to the NHL is learning how to handle the responsibilities that come with the position.

It’s not simply about generating offense. Centers are expected to support their defensemen, win puck battles, make responsible decisions through the neutral zone and contribute in all three zones.

For Yurov, those details have been among the strongest parts of his game.

Hynes has repeatedly praised the young Russian’s hockey intelligence and ability to read plays, qualities that have helped him earn additional responsibilities despite his limited NHL experience.

That includes time on the penalty kill, where Hynes believes Yurov has already established himself as a reliable option.

“He’s been excellent on the penalty kill,” Hynes said.

It’s an encouraging sign for a player whose offensive abilities were a major part of his appeal when Minnesota selected him in the first round.

While Yurov’s recent goals have attracted attention, his ability to contribute without the puck could ultimately determine how quickly he develops into the top-six center Hynes envisions.

And another important part of that development is taking place in the faceoff circle.

Yurov has been working with former NHL center Derek Stepan to improve his faceoff ability, something Hynes specifically highlighted following Sunday’s victory.

“The faceoffs, he was over 50% on the faceoff circle. He’s been working with [Derek Stepan]. He puts time and effort into it,” Hynes said.

Stepan, a native of Hastings, Minnesota, brings extensive NHL experience to the process. The former center played 890 regular-season games across 13 NHL seasons, recording 182 goals, 333 assists and 515 points.

He also appeared in 120 Stanley Cup playoff games, contributing 20 goals, 35 assists and 55 points.

Throughout his career, Stepan established himself as a dependable NHL center who understood the responsibilities of playing in the middle of the ice.

That experience provides Yurov with an opportunity to learn from someone who spent more than a decade competing against some of the league’s best players.

Faceoffs are particularly important for a young center looking to earn more ice time and responsibility. Winning draws can help a team establish possession, relieve pressure in the defensive zone and create offensive opportunities immediately following a faceoff.

For a player like Yurov, improving in that area could make him a more complete option for Minnesota’s coaching staff. His work with Stepan also demonstrates the commitment Hynes has noticed throughout his development.

Yurov isn’t simply relying on his natural offensive talent. He’s putting in additional work to improve the details necessary to become an everyday NHL center.

So far, it has paid off. He had the lowest faceoff percentage in the NHL last season for centermen who took at least 742 draws (39.2 percent). He's at 56.6 percent this season.

Yurov’s recent emergence comes at an interesting time for the Wild.

Minnesota has been linked to Detroit's Dylan Larkin in trade speculation as the organization continues looking for ways to strengthen its center depth.

Larkin would provide the Wild with an established top-six center capable of making an immediate impact. However, acquiring a player of his caliber could require Minnesota to part with valuable young assets, potentially including Yurov.

And that’s where Hynes’ comments become particularly interesting.

The Wild are reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring an established center, yet their own head coach believes one of their young players has the potential to develop into a first- or second-line center himself.

At 22 years old, Yurov is still in the early stages of his NHL career. There will undoubtedly be growing pains, and a four-game scoring stretch doesn’t guarantee he’ll reach the ceiling Hynes envisions.

But his recent production, defensive awareness, penalty-killing contributions and continued improvement in the faceoff circle suggest his development is moving in the right direction.

“So, it’s nice to see, particularly early in the season to see him get on the scoresheet, get some confidence that way because there’s so many things that are trending in the right direction with him, and that’s certainly one of them,” Hynes said.

For Minnesota, the challenge is balancing the desire to improve immediately with the potential of its young players.

Larkin could provide an immediate solution down the middle, but Yurov is beginning to demonstrate why he could eventually become part of that solution himself.

And when a head coach publicly projects a 22-year-old as a future top-two-line center, it raises an important question about how much the organization should be willing to sacrifice to acquire an established one.

For now, Yurov continues to make his case on the ice.

With three goals in his last four games and increasing trust from Minnesota’s coaching staff, the young Russian is giving the Wild plenty to consider as they evaluate both their present needs and their future down the middle.

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