Prospect Info: 2020 1st Rd Selection - #15 OA - LW Rodion Amirov (RUS) - 6'0", 177lbs Part II

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Fair enough, I would agree in that I haven't seen him being as much of a puck hound as some would suggest in the O Zone.

I've really liked his ability to strip guys of the puck and from what I've seen he plays a strong possession game once he does get it back which falls in line with the Dubas philosophy.

I can definitely see some parallels to Nylander in that he isn't always hounding the puck but is always in a good position to interrupt plays and get offense going the other way.

yea seems to be a bit more cerebral than a hyman type (i’ve heard some posters claim he’s a hyman with more skill), where he is more waiting for the play to come to him as opposed to dictating the pace and trying to force it.

 

[hullsy47]

I feel like people complaining about Amirov are expecting him dangling through teams for highlight reel goals.

It's clear he plays a mature smart game, is dedicated to 2 way play and the skill/IQ is obvious watching him.

I wasn't too thrilled about another winger in the first round but the more I see this kid play it's hard not to like this pick and obvious what Dubas sees.

 

[CincoHolio]

Are we really comparing a very talented kid and a winger with a garbage center like Bozak who played 1st line center on a garbage leafs roster for many years? Seriously..

I'm no Bozak fan but labeling him a "garbage" centre while he played for the Leafs is a bit undeserved. In all fairness to him he was tasked to punch waaay above his weight during his time here. That 100% was on the Garbage Management Team the Leafs employed during that era.

 

[fahad203]

I'm no Bozak fan but labeling him a "garbage" centre while he played for the Leafs is a bit undeserved. In all fairness to him he was tasked to punch waaay above his weight during his time here. That 100% was on the Garbage Management Team the Leafs employed during that era.

i seriously hate when people trash Bozak. He was a few agent signee who contributed so well considering what he was asked to do

He contributed more than our so called highly touted draft picks like Biggs, Schenn and GOAT

he was a true pro. If Amirov turns out be a consistent two way center /winger who can yield 50 points per year. I’ll take it.

People on the other posts raving Steen and criticizing the leafs management. I see a lot of Steen in Amirov. Good two way forward with decent scoring touch

 

[BertCorbeau]

i seriously hate when people trash Bozak. He was a few agent signee who contributed so well considering what he was asked to do

He contributed more than our so called highly touted draft picks like Biggs, Schenn and GOAT

he was a true pro. If Amirov turns out be a consistent two way center /winger who can yield 50 points per year. I’ll take it.

People on the other posts raving Steen and criticizing the leafs management. I see a lot of Steen in Amirov. Good two way forward with decent scoring touch

Generally speaking the board dislikes players for who they aren't, rather than appreciate what they are. Which is sensible given how poor the team was not long ago, and the desire to see true top talent in this organization.

Bozak was not a top line centre. But he was a solid two-way centre with a bit of offensive ability miscast on a mediocre team.

Expecting Amirov to be a surefire stud/top line winger is a bit much. Expecting him to be a good top 6 winger, who can generate offense and play a solid two way game, is much more realistic.

 

[Menzinger]

I was definitely guilty of unfairly hating on Bozak when he was with the team. Unfortunately he sort of became one of the faces of the team and folks unfairly took their frustrations with Burke/Nonis out on players like jim. In reality he was one of the better valued free agent signings in the salary cap era for the Leafs given his consistency and how long he played with the team.

If Amirov can be a 50 point player with good fundamentals, that's an absolute win for the team and nothing to be mad at. If he turns into a 60+ point first liner, then even better

 

[zeke]

Bozak has no bearing on Amirov whatsoever.

It is a bizarre comp based on no similarities in talent level or skillset whatsoever.

 

[zeke]

Generally speaking the board dislikes players for who they aren't, rather than appreciate what they are. Which is sensible given how poor the team was not long ago, and the desire to see true top talent in this organization.

Bozak was not a top line centre. But he was a solid two-way centre with a bit of offensive ability miscast on a mediocre team.

Expecting Amirov to be a surefire stud/top line winger is a bit much. Expecting him to be a good top 6 winger, who can generate offense and play a solid two way game, is much more realistic.

Bozak was not a two-way center. But a one way offensive center who was only ok offensively even with great offensive linemates and full top PP time.

 

[BAM]

Generally speaking the board dislikes players for who they aren't, rather than appreciate what they are. Which is sensible given how poor the team was not long ago, and the desire to see true top talent in this organization.

Bozak was not a top line centre. But he was a solid two-way centre with a bit of offensive ability miscast on a mediocre team.

Expecting Amirov to be a surefire stud/top line winger is a bit much. Expecting him to be a good top 6 winger, who can generate offense and play a solid two way game, is much more realistic.

He was actually only decent offensively and that was with playing with the likes of Kessel, JVR and Marner during his tenure here. He isn't exactly known for his defence. He was good on FO however.

 

[Martin Skoula]

I can't believe people are trying to paint Bozak as some sort of two way player. What's next, JVR was actually an intimidating power forward?

 

[Stephen]

Rodion Amirov comes across as a much more high skill player than Tyler Bozak. Hands, deking, puckhandling, skating, looks like he has an above average pro shot. For many years, the Leafs really didn't have this type of quality in the pipeline, nor did they really target this type of player until maybe the William Nylander selection in 2014. So we won't have good Leaf comparables over the past 20 years or so.

I want to say Martin Havlat. There's something that reminds me of him from the highlight packages.

 

[Gabriel426]

Bozak is a solid #2 and a very good #3 Center. He is above average offensively and average on Defence.
Amirov at where he was drafted, if he turns into a top 6 winger, that’s already really good. I think if he becomes someone like Steen, that’s a huge win for the Leafs. To expect him to become a 30goals scorer and 65pts is unrealistic expectations.

 

[zeke]

Bozak is a solid #2 and a very good #3 Center. He is above average offensively and average on Defence.
Amirov at where he was drafted, if he turns into a top 6 winger, that’s already really good. I think if he becomes someone like Steen, that’s a huge win for the Leafs. To expect him to become a 30goals scorer and 65pts is unrealistic expectations.

Bozak is a solid #3 center and a serviceable #2 center who a contender would need to upgrade on.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Amirov has a very polished mature game already. Seems to always be in the right spot and doing the right thing. He doesn’t seem to have any glaring weaknesses, just needs to add some more strength which his very common.

I can see him possibly ending up around 6’1” 195lbs.

 

[Stephen]

Bozak is a solid #2 and a very good #3 Center. He is above average offensively and average on Defence.
Amirov at where he was drafted, if he turns into a top 6 winger, that’s already really good. I think if he becomes someone like Steen, that’s a huge win for the Leafs. To expect him to become a 30goals scorer and 65pts is unrealistic expectations.

I don’t think Steen is the right kind of comparison for Amirov either. From a skill level point of view Steen seemed like a rich man’s Bozak. Kind of toolsy, did everything pretty well, grittier and smarter and better work ethic but I wouldn’t say he had the high end talent base we seem to see in Amirov. I get the argument about upside or high range for annual production but stylistically I don’t know if Steen is right.

 

[zeke]

I don’t think Steen is the right kind of comparison for Amirov either. From a skill level point of view Steen seemed like a rich man’s Bozak. Kind of toolsy, did everything pretty well, grittier and smarter and better work ethic but I wouldn’t say he had the high end talent base we seem to see in Amirov. I get the argument about upside or high range for annual production but stylistically I don’t know if Steen is right.

Not a perfect comp but Steen was a bit more of a fast skilled dangler as a prospect than you might think.

 

[Beaumaris]

Bozak is a solid #2 and a very good #3 Center. He is above average offensively and average on Defence.
Amirov at where he was drafted, if he turns into a top 6 winger, that’s already really good. I think if he becomes someone like Steen, that’s a huge win for the Leafs. To expect him to become a 30goals scorer and 65pts is unrealistic expectations.

Always thought Bozak got a really rough deal from fans.
I thought he was fine,at what he was asked to do.

 

[hockeeyyy]

Marian Hossa. That’s Amirov’s comp.

 

[Stephen]

Not a perfect comp but Steen was a bit more of a fast skilled dangler as a prospect than you might think.

Yeah no knock on Steen, but I think Amirov has the higher skill to grit ratio. Everything looks a little more refined at the prospect level but we won't know until he makes it what kind of player he'll end up as at the pro level.

 

[Stephen]

Marian Hossa. That’s Amirov’s comp.

I was thinking Havlat. He didn't have the kind of career Hossa did, was a little lighter, but had a high end skill package, good two way game.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Marian Hossa. That’s Amirov’s comp.

Not a bad one. I also like Ehlers as a comparable as well.

 

[nobody]

Not a bad one. I also like Ehlers as a comparable as well.

I used to think Ehlers but I think it's not a good comparable. Ehlers has elite puck skills and motor that Amirov doesn't possess. He's a guy that's a total miscast on the Jets because they play a very heavy game. Ehlers on the Leafs playing a more transitional offense game would be an absolute stud. Amirov plays a much slower and calculated game than Ehlers and takes nearly none of the risks that Ehlers does. He's also a better defender at his age currently than Ehlers is.

Amirov will end up on the JT line in the future, if/when he makes it to the Leafs. His game is tailor-made for keeping possession and providing a steady 2-way game. Something that Hyman does with more tenacity but less skill.

 

[fahad203]

Marian Hossa. That’s Amirov’s comp.

Marion Hossa was a tank. He relied a lot on his skills but mostly on his powerful strides and work along the boards
That's a stretch. Even Havlat, was very powerful skater. I think Amirov is a good skater but not a powerful one

Modern day Marian Hossa would be someone like Mackinnon.

I see him a lighter version of Sebastian Aho

 

[crump]

If he comes close to being 2/3 as good as these comparables I would be happy.

Amirov has good hands in tight, reminds me of Nylander the way he rolls off checks in corners and his quick reverse moves to separate himself, but Nylander’s shot is elite, Amirov has an average shot. He is smart and has good takeaway skill like Nylander.

He’s not as fast as Ehlers, not as big as Hossa with that massive wingspan, not a gritty as Steen.

I think a poor mans Nylander is a good description stylistically. He’ll be a good one, but probably a middle six player.

 

[hockeeyyy]

I think people forget Hossa was 6’1. He wasn’t huge. Amirov is reportedly bigger than his listed draft height as Covid-19 has kind of put a lot of measurements onto the back burner. I believe Dubas said he’s 6’1 (it might have been another management type who said it).

Amirov isn’t huge by any means, but I’ve met Hossa and we’re the same height.

Amirov is gangly, but he isn’t small.