Rodion Amirov was a son, a brother and a friend.
It’s unfathomable to try and quantify how much was lost when the 21-year-old’s battle with brain cancer ended Monday before even contemplating how far his hockey talents could otherwise have taken him.
Amirov was a 2020 first-round draft pick of the Maple Leafs who didn’t get the opportunity to follow appearances for Russia at the world junior championship and Karjala Cup with a professional career in North America because that was snatched away from him by cancer.
However, it was in the way he handled his diagnosis that Amirov showed the current-day Leafs and broader hockey world how much strength and spirit he possessed.
That was highlighted in the death announcement made by agent Dan Milstein, who wrote Monday that Amirov “refused to speak in the negative, determined to enjoy every day [while] facing it with the same positive attitude he showed during his hockey career” and it was echoed in the thoughts of former Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas.
“I am so sad for the loss of such a wonderful young man with so much potential,” said Dubas. “His unabashed positivity – even when faced with an awful diagnosis – will stay with me forever.
“Rodion was such an example of courage and I am certain that his spirit has touched and will live on in everyone lucky enough to have known him.”
Dubas selected Amirov with the 15th overall pick during a draft conducted remotely in October 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The teenager had spent that KHL season competing against men for Salavat Yulaev Ufa and was considered a high-ceiling selection who would require a couple more years of seasoning before challenging for a NHL job.
In fact, when Amirov signed his entry-level contract with the Leafs, team management and his agent tabbed the 2023-24 season as the first where he’d play full time in North America.
That was before everything got put on hold by the discovery of a brain tumour in late January 2022. Amirov had been treated for a collarbone injury and concussion that season when doctors noticed some abnormalities.
Further tests delivered the worst diagnosis possible – although Amirov didn’t treat it that way.
Rather than lament his situation, he continued to wear the same easy smile those who knew him best had always known. He skated and trained as often as he could. And in February 2022 he responded to a message from this reporter with an upbeat tone: “Thank you very much for your support! I really appreciate it!”
Amirov kept the dream of returning to pro hockey alive in his mind even as the circumstances grew more dire.
He had spent time in Toronto during the summer of 2021 – attending Game 7 of the Leafs-Canadiens playoff series while most of Scotiabank Arena remained tarped off from fans – before skating for a few weeks with members of the player development staff, including assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser.
A break between rounds of chemotherapy last October allowed Amirov to travel back to the city and get introduced to a sold-out building as part of the team’s opening night festivities. He was also in the celebratory Leafs dressing room following a 3-2 win over Washington that night, bumping knuckles with players he eventually hoped to call teammates while wearing an ear-to-ear grin and clenching a signed Auston Matthews sweater.
“I think it’s important for him,” said Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who later took Amirov down the hall to meet countrymen Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov before the Capitals left the arena.
“He’s a nice guy. He’s a nice person. He’s a great kid.”
News of his death was followed by a flood of messages of condolence from those within the organization. That spoke to the strong impression he made despite never being able to formally participate in a development camp or training camp as a member of the Leafs.
“It’s incredibly hard to comprehend the loss of Rodion,” said captain John Tavares. “His smile and joy for life and hockey was infectious. My teammates and I are grateful for our time spent with him.”
“Will never be forgotten,” wrote Mitch Marner on Instagram.
A bright flame extinguished far too soon.
A life cut tragically short by a brutal disease.
