NHL 2020 Draft: Toronto Maple Leafs Draft Rodion Amirov in 15th overall

With the 15th overall victory in the 2020 NHL draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Rodion Amirov. He is a Russian winger who does a little bit of everything well, including defense. With that in mind, it seems to make perfect sense for what the Leafs need, especially after some better options were off the board at this point.

Amirov plays for his hometown team in Slavat, Russia. He grew up in the club and has already played part of a season in the KHL. He made two assists in 21 games last year and played a very limited role as a designated junior (he wouldn’t count against the squad boundaries).

This year he has already played 10 games and scored three goals and two assists with a nice, healthy 15 minutes per game.

He spent some time in the VHL (second division under the KHL) both in the last season and in the season that has already started. While he was mostly on the junior team last year, it looks like he will stay in the KHL. His VHL games took place at the beginning of the season and he has been on the KHL list since late September.

In his last game (yesterday) he started from the top row and played over 22 minutes with a pretty easy win for the other team. The usual Salavat players Teemu Hartikainen and Nikita Soshnikov were not in the line-up. They are classified as injured along with a very, very long list of others, but Salavat Yulaev is one of the teams in the KHL that has been affected by a coronavirus outbreak and many of those players are not injured at all.

The situation in the KHL where teams play as long as they have callups and juniors to fill the teams leads to resumes that don’t really reflect how the prospect is normally used. But so far, Amirov has made the best of it.

You may remember him from Annie’s recent FTB, where Amirov discovered he had the heart of a true leader:

I’m pretty happy with this selection. It was clearly the best choice available at the time. He already had a great start to the season with 3 goals and 5 points in 10 KHL games. He’s on the older side in late 2001, but he’s just better. We graciously avoid the fate that Schneider finished in 15th place …

THE VITAL

SCOUTING REPORTS

Scott Wheeler from The athlete::

I had Amirov in 20th place on my preliminary list, 22nd in the mid-season, 20th in the first iteration of the final rankings and he’s back. That should probably tell you a couple of things:

I’m pretty sure this is where it belongs.

He did not exceed my expectations and neither did they meet them. This was true again when hockey resumed.

The strength of Amirov’s game lies in his ability to protect the puck and change direction with control. This makes him particularly effective in the offensive zone because I wouldn’t say his pace is that high right off the bat. Amirov is dangerous because he takes what he’s given (he’s not a pass-first player, but he can’t tunnel the net as a shooter either), and he can carry the puck in the slot for pressure or for himself to create yourself.

Kevin Papetti from Maple Leaf Hot Stove::

Amirov is one of the senior players in this drafting class and already has a pretty significant track record. Having put Russia in the lead in last year’s U18 tournament while playing on a line with Vasili Podkolzin, we can expect him to be one of his team’s top scorers at this year’s World Juniors (assuming the tournament takes place). He also stocks 21 KHL games. Since he also played in the Hlinka-Gretzky and the World Junior A Challenge, probably every scout in the world is familiar with his game.

He is a versatile player who can help his team in a variety of ways. It’s quite large, carries the puck well, goes into the high hazard area, moves the puck effectively, and has a lot of shooting talent. He’s a good trailblazer who can generate takeaway and an above average skater. He just always seems to be one of the better players on the ice. The Amirov-Podkolzin duo was a force to be reckoned with when you bring it together.

His combination of size and speed makes him a relatively safe choice, but his transition and scoring opportunities also give him the first advantage. He dominated the MHL that year on a par with Alexander Pashin. I think he could be just a year away from NHL readiness. I expect him to be a bit of a bargain on draft day as I think he’s a pretty safe bet to be a top six winger. He’s an outstanding transition staff, offers two-way potential with his speed and size, and doesn’t have many clear shortcomings.

HIGHLIGHTS

For educational purposes we show you his headshot from the KHL:

Amirov is listed in many places including the official KHL and VHL websites weighing about 163 pounds, but the NHL Central Scouting List had him 10 pounds heavier. That makes Mitch Marner almost as tall (except for the questionable 6 feet tall).

SURVEY: