Do the Wild have the next Marián Gáborík waiting in their prospect pool? Read here to find out.

ST. PAUL - Marián Gáborík looked to be a perennial All-Star in his early career. He was on pace to set Wild scoring records that would stand as franchise records for years to come. But after multiple injury-prone seasons, the Wild eventually let the scoring forward go to free agency. 

In eight seasons with the Wild, Gáborík scored 30 or more goals in five of them. He had notched 219 goals and 437 points in 502 games wearing the Wild's sweater. Gáborík went on to play 533 games with four different teams after the Wild and ended his career with 407 goals and 815 points in 1,035 career games. 

One could say injuries took his chance away at being a Hall of Famer. Gáborík was that good, especially in Minnesota for the team that just became a franchise in 2000.

I don't want to over-hype it but the Wild may have another Gáborík like player currently in their prospect pool. 

Danila Yurov was the 24th overall pick in the 2022 draft by the Wild. During the draft after Yurov was taken, Meghan Chayka, a Canadian data scientist and co-founder of the ice hockey analytics firm Stathletes, said Yurov could be the steal of the draft. 

The scoring winger projects to be one of the best forwards from his draft class but was passed over by many teams likely because he was playing in the KHL in Russia. 

Yet the Wild took a chance on him and before he has even arrived in North America, the decision to select him looks to be franchise-altering.

Yurov, 20, is doing things in the KHL that are unheard of when it comes to his point production at the age he is. To put it in perspective, Kirill Kaprizov had only 15 goals and 40 points when he was 20, playing in the KHL. 

Artemi Panarin recorded 13 goals and 31 points in 50 games in the KHL when he was 20. Pavel Buchnevich had 16 goals and 37 points in 58 KHL games at 20-years-old. Evgeny Kuznetsov had 19 goals and 44 points in 51 games as a 20-year-old. 

Vladimir Tarasenko holds the KHL record for most points in a single season as a 20-year-old with 47. He had 23 goals that season as well. Yurov has 21 goals and 46 points in 55 games and is just one point from tying Tarasenko for the record with seven games left in the season.

As you can see from the image above, Yurov is tracking down a similar path as Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals did. In 723 career games with the Capitals, Kuznetsov has recorded 171 goals and 568 points across 11 seasons. 

But why could Yurov become the next Gáborík?

They have a similar skill set. Yurov has good vision paired with a great shot and skates really well. Sound familiar? 

It's rare that one of your prospects who is playing over in Russia comes to an NHL development cap but Yurov did. He flashed his skills in front of the media, Wild upper management, and many of the current Wild players. 

We got a chance to ask Yurov a few questions after training camp and the young forward seemed excited about the potential opportunity to put on a Wild sweater in the next couple of years. 

“It’s great expectation for me,” Yurov said during camp in July on what his plans are for after his season in Russia ends. "It’s a very important season in Russia. I hope to come here (Minnesota) next season.”

Whether that's next year or not, Yurov has a bright future ahead of him and one, Wild fans should be super excited about. Yurov even told us at camp that he and Kaprizov have been texting back and forth and he can't wait for the chance to eventually play alongside his fellow Russian superstar. 

“He’s waiting for me,” Yurov said through an interpreter during development camp about what Kaprizov said on Yurov. 

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