Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov passes away after battle with cancer

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov has passed away after a battle with brain cancer. 

Amirov was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2021. He was 21 and his passing was announced on social media Monday by his agent Dan Milstein. 

It is we great sadness that we announce the passing of Rodion Amirov. Two years ago, Rodion was diagnosed with a brain tumour. From the moment he received the news, he refused to speak in the negative, determined to enjoy every day, facing it with the same positive attitude he… pic.twitter.com/ye6TdAjGZc

— Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) August 14, 2023

“We will always remember his courage, his desire, his will, his smile, all of the great things about him. We’d like to thank his doctors, who took great care of him. We’d like to thank the Toronto Maple Leafs and his KHL – Salavat Yulayev Ufa team. Both did everything possible to help in any way, do whatever was necessary for Rodion and the Amirov family. And we’d like to thank hockey fans all over the world who sent notes of encouragement and best wishes over the past two years. They meant so much to the Amirov family,” Milstein wrote on social media. 

Amirov was drafted 15th overall by Toronto in 2020. He played 10 games in the KHL with Salavat Yulayev Ufa during the 2021-22 season, even after his diagnosis was made public.