Breaking: Major update on Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov

Every one of us knows somebody that has been impacted by cancer. In my case, I lost an uncle, nearly lost another, and have been through my own battle with it. It's a horrible, terrifying thing that can seemingly happen to anyone. Nobody goes through life without being affected by it in one way or another.

For Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov, it's been an up and down battle. After being diagnosed with a brain tumour, his hockey career was put on hold and treatments began instead. What was originally a seemingly positive prognosis took a turn for the worse earlier this year, leaving his family, friends and his fans concerned for his health. Unfortunately, accurate updates are extremely difficult to come by given Amirov's geographical location. Today, the hockey world finally received some positive news.

Amirov signed a 1-year contract extension with Salavat in the KHL this week. While it's not clear whether he will play or if it is simply a symbolic gesture, the real encouragement comes in the form of a quote from his head coach Victor Kozlov, translated from Russian.




If Kozlov is hoping for Amirov to return soon, one can only assume that things are going well with his treatments. At this point, suiting up for the Toronto Maple Leafs is far from anyone's minds. All we hope for is that Amirov is able to beat this and live a long, healthy life afterwards.