Battling brain tumor, Rodion Amirov lifts up his Toronto Maple Leafs teammates

Surely, this wasn’t the exact NHL debut Rodion Amirov envisioned when the Toronto Maple Leafs selected him 15^th overall in the 2020 Draft.

What happened Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena wasn’t even an on-ice debut. But the experience was about as profound and powerful as any player could imagine. During the Leafs’ pre-game player and staff introductions as part of their 2022-23 home opener, Amirov, 21, smiled ear to ear while the PA announced him as an honorary member of the non-playing roster.

Was the ovation as loud as what Auston Matthews received, or Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson when he appeared during a TV timeout later in the night? Of course not. Amirov isn’t yet a household name in Hogtown. But there was a noteworthy surge of noise when Amirov was introduced. The people cheering fervently were the fans in the know. They understood what Amirov has been persevering through.

Last February, Amirov was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He had been injured while playing for Salavat Ufa of the KHL and, while recovering, developed some unusual symptoms that almost mimicked a concussion, leading the team to get brain imaging done. That’s when they found the tumor.

It was a devastating blow for a prospect whose path to the NHL had already been anything but traditional. Given he was part of the first prospect generation drafted during the COVID-19 pandemic, he spent the first year of his post-draft maturation at home in Russia and never came overseas to be part of any Leafs development camp. He had no exposure to the team, the city, to the NHL experience. He was signed in Russia through 2022-23, but the plan was for Amirov to get some exposure to North America following the 2021-22 KHL season. Everything changed with his diagnosis. It was chemotherapy instead of playing pro hockey, though he continued to gut through workouts to stay strong.

“When I didn’t want to train, my parents forced me to, and I’m very grateful for it and the doctor also recommended to train and not to stop,” Amirov told a Russian newspaper in the summer. “Psychologically, it was more difficult than physically. But I’m a believer, I’m religious and believe in God and the faith helped me out not to fall. To be positive all the time and to have a positive outlook on everything.”

He recently finished his fourth round of chemotherapy, and the Leafs invited him to spend some time with the team leading up to the start of this season. It would expose him to the NHL lifestyle and, of course, inspire his teammates.

“He’s been with us for a while now, and just to watch what he’s going through, how he battles, it’s great for us to have him here for sure,” said right winger Calle Jarnkrok after the Leafs’ 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals.

Amirov was visibly elated when he got his ovation Thursday night, and that was consistent with how he’d digested his stay in Toronto so far, which included getting to know the players and attending meetings. He was present in the dressing room celebrating the Thursday’s win.

“It was awesome, man,” said Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano. “Getting to meet him, for a guy that’s been through all that he’s been through in the last little bit here, comes in every day, he’s smiling all the time. So, good to see him get that recognition and hopefully he stays with us and builds and builds and keeps moving forward.”

There’s still no timetable for Amirov’s return to the ice. Getting healthy and conquering the tumor is paramount. Whenever he does become NHL ready, however, he’s an important part of the Leafs’ future. He’s a first-round pick, after all, a high-ceiling talent. His skating and edgework grade out as elite. He’s the rare high-skill player who also possesses strong defensive instincts and the ability to intercept pucks at high speeds.

And one way or another, he could help the Leafs significantly someday. With a sure-to-be-record-breaking AAV looming on Matthews’ next contract should the Leafs successfully extend him for 2024-25 and beyond, the Leafs will be pressed against the salary cap and will need entry-level players with affordable cap hits to make meaningful contributions. Amirov could be one of them. Given the Leafs are in win-now mode, determined to make a deep payoff run, Amirov would also be an attractive trade asset should the Leafs need to give up a prospect for a veteran lineup addition at some point.

But for now? It’s not about Amirov helping the Leafs. It’s about them helping him, introducing him to the NHL experience and helping him stay strong emotionally. And, to a man, they couldn’t be more enthusiastic about having his smiling face around.

“We try to help him,” said Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov after winning his first start with the team. “Everybody in the room, we talk with him. It’s important for the team. We build his emotions up because he stays with the team. And he’s enjoyed here. He’s a nice guy, he’s a nice person, great to know.”

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Battling brain tumor, Rodion Amirov lifts up his Toronto Maple Leafs teammates

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