VIDEO: Maple Leafs Honor Rodion Amirov as Family Attends First Game Since Prospects' Passing Last Summer
Amirov was selected by the Maple Leafs in the first round (15th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft and passed away after a lengthy battle with brain cancer.
The Toronto Maple Leafs honored one of their own on Thursday.
During the first intermission of the team's game against the New Jersey Devils, the Leafs ran a video tribute to Rodion Amirov, who passed away last summer after a lengthy battle with brain cancer.
Amirov's father, mother and two sisters were in attendance and acknowledged following the tribute.
Selected in the first round (15th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, Amirov passed away last August at the age of 21 after a nearly two-year battle with brain cancer. On February 23, 2022, then-Leafs GM Kyle Dubas announced that Amriov was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The Leafs worked with Amirov to provide treatment and Russia and Germany.
During the opening week of the 2022-23 NHL season, the Leafs flew Amirov down to Toronto and was introduced as an honorary member of the Maple Leafs' home opening night roster.
UPDATE: Following Toronto's 6-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils, Maple Leafs Sheldon Keefe discussed the tribute to Amirov's family.
"I don't know a lot of the details, quite honestly. We haven't had a chance to meet them yet, but I knew that this was happening and this was the game that worked where they could bring the family in," Keefe said. "It was something that's been in the works for a while, but yeah, it was quite the moment.
"I think made an impact on our group, and the story is extremely sad. And just to have the family in here, they should be coming here to watch their son play in the NHL and here in Toronto, and clearly an emotional time. So I really felt that for that in that moment for the family. But it is at the same time terrific to have them here. So I'm glad that they had that moment and the fans recognized it.
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