MONTREAL — The future of the Wild now includes two more possibilities, but next season's roster also received a boost on the first day of the NHL draft.
Wild takes wingers Liam Ohgren from Sweden, Danila Yurov from Russia in first round of NHL draft
Liam Ohgren was the 19th overall pick, and Danila Yurov was taken at No. 24 on Thursday in Montreal.
July 8, 2022 at 11:28AM
After re-signing Marc-Andre Fleury to shore up its goaltending, the Wild expanded its prospect base by selecting Swedish winger Liam Ohgren 19th overall and Russian winger Danila Yurov at No. 24 on Thursday from Bell Centre in Montreal.
"They play a style that fits the way we do," said Judd Brackett, the Wild's director of amateur scouting. "They're both heavy, skilled, skate well [and] play with pace."
This was the second consecutive year and only third time ever the Wild made two picks in the first round and after beefing up its own end last year by tabbing goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and defenseman Carson Lambos, the Wild addressed offense.
Ohgren was crowned the best forward in Sweden's junior league last season after pacing all players in goals (33), points (58) and plus-minus (plus-41) through 30 games with Djurgarden's junior squad.
The 6-1, 201-pound native of Stockholm also logged 25 games with Djurgarden's men's team in the Swedish Hockey League, a lineup he'll return to next season, and Ohgren captained Sweden to gold at the Under-18 World Championship where he had two goals and an assist in the gold medal final vs. Team USA.
"Someone we felt that absolutely can play the way we want to play: fast, hard, heavy and skilled," Brackett said.
A speedy left winger, Ohgren has honed a two-way style.
He felt he made the most strides last season on his defensive game but said his shot is his strength. The 18-year-old was ranked as the eighth-best European skater by NHL Central Scouting, which identified reigning NHL MVP Auston Matthews as a player similar in style to Ohgren. His dad, Andreas, has been a strength coach for the past 15-plus years and has trained the likes of Colorado's Gabriel Landeskog and Washington's Nicklas Backstrom, with Ohgren also participating in workouts.
"I can score from almost everywhere," said Ohgren, who chatted with the Wild at the NHL combine but didn't know where he'd land in the draft. "I can score on shots and also driving to the net."
As for Yurov, the highest-drafted Russian in Wild history, the 6-1, 178-pound right winger performed at more than a point-per-game level with Magnitogorsk's junior team last season: 13 goals and 23 assists for 36 points in 23 games.
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Yurov also skated in 21 regular-season contests and made 19 playoff appearances with Magnitogorsk's men's team in the KHL, and his goal is to rejoin that group next season. The 18-year-old is considered a power forward and has "terrific mobility," Brackett said, to go along with an accurate shot. He was ranked one spot ahead of Ohgren by NHL Central Scouting and talked with the Wild on Thursday morning.
"He was probably the biggest wild card just with what was going to happen," Brackett said.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Russians players and their ability to come over to the NHL, which includes its own Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild wasn't dissuaded from drafting a Russian prospect.
"He was the best guy on our list," General Manager Bill Guerin said. "That's what we needed. We need the best players."
With No. 19, the Wild was actually looking at Yurov and Ohgren before taking Ohgren first. Both players will be at the team's development camp next week.
"There isn't a hole in their game," Brackett said. "They can do a little bit of everything and with great detail. When we're looking for players, we want complete players and we feel we got two."
Before making these picks, the Wild brought back Fleury on a two-year, $7 million contract that includes a no-movement clause for the 37-year-old veteran who joined the Wild at the trade deadline from Chicago.
With little cap space remaining, the trade market is an option for the Wild should the team decide to mix up its roster although Guerin said ahead of the draft he wasn't heavily involved in talks.
That could change but as it stands now, the Wild has a near-capacity roster in place and a growing pool of prospects after adding Ohgren and Yurov.
"Extremely excited to be part of such a great, strong organization," Yurov said in Russian through an interpreter. "Seeing a lot of the videos on YouTube and such of the team inside the locker room, I can see it's a really good group of guys.
"So, overall, I'm very happy."
Rounds 2-7 are Friday when the Wild has six more picks, including Nos. 47 and 56.
High-profile victims in Minnesota include Timberwolf Mike Conley and Twins co-owner Jim Pohlad.
