F Rodion Amirov (2020, 15th, TOR) - tragically passed away due to brain tumor 8/14/23

[3 Minute Minor]

I'm always confused when a player like this is labelled small.

Does he need to add some muscle? Sure. How many 19 year olds don't? But is he small or does he play small? Not at all.

Despite the complaining from Toronto media and portions of the fanbase, this is one of the best prospect/team fits of the draft.

 

[Peasy]

I'm always confused when a player like this is labelled small.

Does he need to add some muscle? Sure. How many 19 year olds don't? But is he small or does he play small? Not at all.

Despite the complaining from Toronto media and portions of the fanbase, this is one of the best prospect/team fits of the draft.

Often people don't do their own research. They will see a narrative, and just blindly follow it. I assume a lot of people saw the listing of amirov at 5'11, 167lbs and just blindly took that at face value. When in reality, those measurements were out of date.

 

[weems]

Kid is such a dynamic skater.

 

[DropTheGloves]

Maybe it's just the green but he looks a lot like Radulov there. Great pick by Toronto, I wanted him for Edmonton at 14.

 

[BCNate]

Kid is such a dynamic skater.

That is a sick jersey.

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

For anyone wondering as well, he was listed as like 6' 170 lbs during the draft show right? Well the Leafs director of scouting and Amirov's agent have both said hes 182 lbs and 6'1". So he's definitely not really small.. just a standard skilled forward size.

 

[TopChedder]

That is a sick jersey.

I think he has the second best offensive upside in the draft potentially (would have to hit on all levels) but this could be a great pick.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Not the guy I was hoping for, but I don't know anything about him so I won't celebrate or complain.

Curious to see how many Greyhounds Dubas picks today.

Turned out to be zero. Dubas has drafted a couple from Soo but they‘ve mostly actually turned out to be legit.

I think we can put the chronyism narrative to rest.

 

[Peasy]

Turned out to be zero. Dubas has drafted a couple from Soo but they‘ve mostly actually turned out to be legit.

I think we can put the chronyism narrative to rest.

Yeah he picked two Soo players his first draft. Hasn't picked one since (22 picks since he last selected a greyhound).

 

[HyPnOtiK]

This kid reeks of Kucherov to me, i think leafs got the steal of the first round.

 

[Llamamoto]

This kid reeks of Kucherov to me, i think leafs got the steal of the first round.

Apart from both being Russian, I don't really see the comparison.

Although I do think it was a solid pick.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

Apart from both being Russian, I don't really see the comparison.

Although I do think it was a solid pick.

I think they're extremely similar, but hey I've been wrong before on prospects.

I see him being slightly less offensively talented but better defensive version of Kucherov, almost like a Kucherov MaxPac hybrid as weird as that sounds. Admittedly he's one of the prospects I followed most in this draft so I could be biased, time will tell

 

[SCampo98]

Is he a lock to make the Russian World Junior team this year (praying that it happens). I would assume so, no? Especially given that its his final year of eligibility. Him, Askarov, and Chinhakov should be super interesting to watch.

 

[Arizonan God]

Am I wrong for thinking he's a similar player to William Nylander?

 

[Atas2000]

Is he a lock to make the Russian World Junior team this year (praying that it happens). I would assume so, no? Especially given that its his final year of eligibility. Him, Askarov, and Chinhakov should be super interesting to watch.

Given this year's WJC forward class is not super stacked he is a lock of course.

 

[BAM]

Am I wrong for thinking he's a similar player to William Nylander?

They got similar potential but I am very high on Amirov. In the games and clips I've seen he's got great hands, shot and skating ability and he doesn't hesitate to make plays even with the risk of getting hit.

When I see Amirov I think of a poor man's Kucherov (his 70-80 point version, not the MVP version).

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Am I wrong for thinking he's a similar player to William Nylander?

Yes and no. If that doesn't make sense, me too.

I say no because Nylander was definitely better offensively at the same age but Amirov is way better away from the puck. I say yes because I think if they were the same age, they would be fighting for the same job and Toronto would be forced to choose between the two, which may end up happening eventually.

 

[Atas2000]

Amirov's agent on his future:

"I don't think he should go to NA right now. I as an agent don't need AHL players... The player should develop and right now he is doing that in Russia."

Дэн Мильштейн: «Не думаю, что Амирову прямо сейчас надо ехать в Северную Америку. Мне не нужны игроки АХЛ»

 

[Metroid]

Amirov's agent on his future:

"I don't think he should go to NA right now. I as an agent don't need AHL players... The player should develop and right now he is doing that in Russia."

Дэн Мильштейн: «Не думаю, что Амирову прямо сейчас надо ехать в Северную Америку. Мне не нужны игроки АХЛ»

On the leafs board someone mentioned his play time has dropped to next to nothing now.
Would staying in the K still be worth it?
Anyone can chime in as to why his mins.dropped?

 

[Canada4Gold]

Amirov's agent on his future:

"I don't think he should go to NA right now. I as an agent don't need AHL players... The player should develop and right now he is doing that in Russia."

Дэн Мильштейн: «Не думаю, что Амирову прямо сейчас надо ехать в Северную Америку. Мне не нужны игроки АХЛ»

I don't disagree with him not needing to go to the AHL, and maybe it's a bad translation, but what the agent needs shouldn't matter at all it should be about what the player needs, and if that's to develop in Russia that's fine.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Amirov's agent on his future:

"I don't think he should go to NA right now. I as an agent don't need AHL players... The player should develop and right now he is doing that in Russia."

Дэн Мильштейн: «Не думаю, что Амирову прямо сейчас надо ехать в Северную Америку. Мне не нужны игроки АХЛ»

I agree. KHL is a better league. He should come over when he's capable of stepping into a top-six role.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

I agree. KHL is a better league. He should come over when he's capable of stepping into a top-six role.

i think there is more risk associated to that. KHL is better but it’s not a developmental league. If his minutes drop I’d want him in the AHL playing big minutes.

 

[hot donut]

On the leafs board someone mentioned his play time has dropped to next to nothing now.
Would staying in the K still be worth it?
Anyone can chime in as to why his mins.dropped?

I wouldn't say his minutes have dropped next to nothing - he was out of lineup today against Avangard, but played 11:59, 16:39 and 21:01 in the previous three games. The main factor is that Ufa recently got back their entire 1st line plus several other top players, who had been sidelined because of the pandemic, and Amirov was consequently moved from the first line to the second / third, as well as from the first PP unit to the second. That much was expected, though I am a bit surprised by the decision to scratch him today - he didn't have a particularly good game against Kunlun on Thursday, but neither did no-one else, as Ufa lost to the worst team in the league. I would expect Amirov to be back in the lineup on Monday for the game against Sochi, presumably on the second or third line.

 

[Madic]

I don't disagree with him not needing to go to the AHL, and maybe it's a bad translation, but what the agent needs shouldn't matter at all it should be about what the player needs, and if that's to develop in Russia that's fine.

He's taking the heat off of his client in saying that. It's a pretty cool thing to do, actually. And since this is a sport and the drama is all invented BS anyway, it's more interesting when agents say things like that instead of "blahblahblah dedication blahblah decision for later blahblahhhhhh".

 

[Metroid]

I wouldn't say his minutes have dropped next to nothing - he was out of lineup today against Avangard, but played 11:59, 16:39 and 21:01 in the previous three games. The main factor is that Ufa recently got back their entire 1st line plus several other top players, who had been sidelined because of the pandemic, and Amirov was consequently moved from the first line to the second / third, as well as from the first PP unit to the second. That much was expected, though I am a bit surprised by the decision to scratch him today - he didn't have a particularly good game against Kunlun on Thursday, but neither did no-one else, as Ufa lost to the worst team in the league. I would expect Amirov to be back in the lineup on Monday for the game against Sochi, presumably on the second or third line.

Awesome thanks for the scoop!