Rodion Amirov #4
The Toronto Maple Leafs surprised nearly everyone when they kept their #15 pick this summer and used it to select Rodion Amirov of Russia.
A small, skilled left-winger who was widely considered one of, if not the fastest skater in the draft, Amirov is 6′ 170 lbs and shoots left. He only had two points in 21 games last year in the KHL, but that was as an undrafted 18-year-old playing vs. men. That he was there at all is incredible.
This year he performed strongly at the Karjala Tournament, and already has four goals and seven points in 22 games in the KHL. Though rumours recently suggested he may sign for a couple years in the KHL, Amirov has already excited Leafs fans with his highlight moves and career potential.
Amirov could land anywhere from useful third-liner, to star first line scoring superstar, and that combo of being almost a sure thing to at least make the NHL and having high-end (if not blue-chip) potential makes him the Leafs fourth best prospect.
In an ideal world, we aren’t far from seeing the Toronto Maple Leafs ice Robertson-Matthews-Marner with Amirov-Tavares-Nylander in an absolutely insane top six combo.
Not to get too crazy here, but the words “Nikita Kucherov” and “Rodion Amirov” have been uttered in the same sentence by people who are not, to my knowledge at least, crazy. Obviously that is a best best best case scenario, but the comparison is enough to get us excited, and what else are these lists for?