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Toronto Maple Leafs Postseason Overseas Prospect Update

By Carter Loewen

EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 30: Topi Niemela #7, Roni Hirvonen #22, Anton Lundell #15 and Kasper Simontaival #29 of Finland celebrate a goal against Slovakia during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 30, 2020 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 30: Topi Niemela #7, Roni Hirvonen #22, Anton Lundell #15 and Kasper Simontaival #29 of Finland celebrate a goal against Slovakia during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 30, 2020 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images) /
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Russia’s Rodion Amirov celebrates a goal during the Ice Hockey Karjala Tournament  (Photo by Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva / AFP) / Finland OUT (Photo by VESA MOILANEN/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images) /

A Number of Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects have already completed their seasons overseas and several of them have made great advances in their development.

The KHL, MHL, VHL, and the Czech Leagues have all wrapped up and began playoffs; meanwhile, the Swedish leagues and the Finnish leagues are coming to an end with teams only having a handful of games to play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had a number of Prospects playing overseas this year. Notable names include Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Artur Akhtyamov, Rodion Amirov, Topi Niemelä, and Filip Král.

For the sake of labeling them as prospects, only players drafted in 2017 and after will be discussed.

We begin our postseason update of these players with Russian winger Rodion Amirov:

Rodion Amirov

Age: 19

H/W:  6’0″/168 lbs

POS:  LW/RW

2021 Team: Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)

Drafted: 15th Overall (Round 1) 2020 NHL Entry Draft

Rodion Amirov played almost the entirety of the 2020-21 season in Russia’s top league, the KHL. Amirov would appear in 39 games throughout the year while playing an average of 13:54 a night.

Despite such low ice-time in the 39 games, he would put up 9 goals and 13 points, topping last year’s total of only 2 points in 21 games (stats en.khl.ru).

Amirov would also play in the 2021 World Junior Championship Tournament where we got to see the young Russian Winger play first hand. In the tournament, Amirov tallied 2 goals and 6 points in 7 games.

Beyond the numbers, it’s easy to tell that although small in stature and strength, Amirov has the potential to become a top-six NHL forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Amirov plays a quick transition game accompanied by soft hands, a strong stick, and a quick-release – sounds pretty Leaf-like right?

In sevem postseason games this year, Amirov has remained pointless but he and his team, Salavat Yulaev, have a chance on Tuesday to keep their season alive after falling down 3-0 in their series with Ak Bars.

Following the conclusion of Amirov’s KHL season, it’s speculated by some that he will look at contract options with the Toronto Maple Leafs and perhaps will join the Marlies in AHL, much like fellow Russian Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is set to do later this month.

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