The hockey world was shocked and saddened this afternoon to learn of the passing of 21-year-old Rodion Amirov following a nearly two-year battle with a brain tumor. The announcement came via a statement from his agent, Dan Milstein, and was met with thousands upon thousands of condolences.
One of the messages came from the Leafs and President of Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan, who released a statement saying, "The entire Maple Leafs organization is devastated by this tragic loss. Over the duration of his courageous battle, Rodion's positivity inspired everyone around him, and he made lasting impressions with our team and fans in his brief visits to Toronto.
Shanahan and the Leafs helped wherever they could, whether it was helping him see specialists, arranging travel accommodations, supporting his family - the Leafs, like all of us, were hoping that we would see Amirov wear the blue and white jersey at some point in the future. A truly sad day for the hockey community, the Leafs, Leafs Nation and, of course, Rodion's family and friends. May he rest in peace.
