New Jersey Devils prospect Daniil Orlov is one of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) players who has made the most progress in recent years. Selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the defenseman moved into the Spartak Moscow system, where he has developed into a KHL All-Star this season.
So far, the Elektrostal, Russia, native has recorded 27 points in 62 regular-season games, with nine goals and 18 assists. In this translated interview, originally published on the Russian sports website MatchTV, Orlov discusses his family’s influence, his success in the KHL, and his NHL ambitions for the future. In June 2025, the blueliner signed a new contract in Russia that runs through the 2027–28 season.
** You can read the original interview in Orlov’s native Russian by Stepan Karpukhin on MatchTV here **
Orlov’s Early Years
Like many other high-end athletes, Orlov has chased a sports career since a young age. “As a child, I was very active. My parents quickly realized that I simply needed sports in my life,” the defenseman explains. “As often happens, a coach from a youth sports school once came to our kindergarten and organized a kind of fun sports day with different activities. That was when they first noticed me.”
“I always loved playing with a ball,” Orlov goes on. “My father is a big football fan, and my mother was an athlete herself. So from the age of three or four, sports were already a big part of my life: football, hockey, swimming, even gymnastics for a while, though I didn’t stay there for long. Still, perhaps it helps me in hockey even today. Gradually, football dropped away, then swimming as well, and by the time I was around ten years old, hockey was the only sport left.”
Related: Devils’ Prospect Daniil Orlov Breaking Out in Russia
Usually, kids want to become forwards and score lots of goals. “In football, I actually loved winning the ball back. I usually played as a defensive midfielder, or sometimes as a goalkeeper. At one point, the coach even asked my parents whether they would consider putting me in goal in hockey as well.”
“But I have a very competitive character — I hate losing, and every goal conceded felt like a real blow to me. Whenever the puck went in, my first instinct was to rush forward and score one back. In the end, we found a kind of middle ground, and I became a defenseman.”
However, he has experience in both worlds. “In fact, during my time in the youth systems of Kristall and Balashikha, I often played as a center. I even lined up as a forward at times in the junior team. And with Khimik (Spartak’s farm team in the Russian second league), I played at center during one of the playoff runs. So it’s not something unfamiliar to me — you simply play more actively in attack and a bit less in defense.”
Orlov’s NHL Ambitions
When Orlov was younger, he followed former NHL defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. “Though I probably admired the ‘Russian version’ of him more, because in the NHL, he was gradually reshaped into a more purely defensive player. I also followed Alexei Morozov quite closely. Among the newer players, I’d mention Miro Heiskanen, who now plays for Dallas. I try to learn a lot from him — I really like his two-way game.”
Now, Zaitsev plays in the KHL, and he can see him more often. “Of course, that feeling is still there. Right now, my focus is on becoming an even better player. Naturally, I have personal goals and dreams, but there are also team ambitions. I really want to win with Spartak, because for me it’s not just another club.
When I was a kid and saw how passionately my father supported Spartak, no other teams ever existed for me. I want us to win more often and to lift important trophies. When I was a boy, I didn’t even think about any other KHL teams.”
In 2022, Orlov was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the NHL Entry Draft. He says he follows the team, although he admits he doesn’t always have time to do so closely. He also stays in regular contact with the organization. “I keep in touch with two people. One works with mental preparation, while the other focuses specifically on hockey matters,” he says.
“It’s always useful to listen to their advice. At Spartak, we actually play a more active style of hockey than some NHL teams, and they’re sometimes surprised by how often I make decisions in favor of joining the attack. They don’t interfere with my preparation, but occasionally they point out small details that are easier to notice from the outside.”
The Devils made it clear that they would like to see Orlov join the team in the future. “They say they’re waiting,” the defenseman explains. “But I try to stay realistic — right now all my thoughts are focused on Spartak and the Gagarin Cup.”
Becoming a KHL All-Star
This season, the defenseman was selected to take part in the KHL All-Star Game. That usually means that a player is on the right track. “Mentally, I felt ready for the All-Star call,” Orlov says. “It was one of my goals, because first and foremost, the All-Star Game is recognition of how you’ve played during the season.”
“Apparently, I’ve been doing a decent job, and that’s why I was chosen for the trip to Yekaterinburg. Of course, it’s something new for me. I didn’t skate in the junior league’s Challenge Cup earlier in my career because of the coronavirus, even though I had been selected that season.”
“So in a way, I still haven’t really experienced that kind of atmosphere yet. At moments like this, you really want to thank your parents, your grandparents, and your whole family. I know I wasn’t always the easiest kid to deal with, but they always supported me and my progress. In many ways, my achievements are their achievements too.”
Considering his strong production and excellent progress in the very last seasons, Orlov’s trip to the NHL may start soon.
