2020 NHL Draft prospect profile: Rodion Amirov scouting report

Rodion Amirov could be the first Russian taken in the 2020 NHL Draft.

The 2020 NHL Draft is shaping up to be one of the deeper ones in years. Even once you look past the top five prospects, there’s another tier of at least 10 to 15 prospects who could become impact players in the NHL. One of those players is Russian forward Rodion Amirov.

Amirov didn’t have the best draft season, but he still showed enough impressive displays of dominance to insert himself into the conversation of being a top 15 draft pick. He could fall into the 20th pick range, but I don’t believe he will.

Prospect Profile

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Height: 6’0″
Weight: 168 pounds
Teams: Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL); Toros Neftekamsk (VHL); Tolpar Ufa (MHL)
Country: Russia
Position: Right Wing/Left Wing
Handedness: Left-handed
Date of birth: October 2, 2001

All information courtesy of Elite Prospects

Strengths

What really stands out to me about Amirov is his commitment to playing a 200 foot game. He’s quite noticeable in all three zones, even when he’s not scoring. Though Amirov only had two points in 20+ KHL games this season, I watched 10 of them and thought he did well considering his minutes were extremely limited. He’s very effective with the puck.

Amirov is dangerous on either side of center ice, as I saw him look impressive as a right wing and as a left wing. Speaking of versatility, he also played a variety of roles on the power play and he was effective in all of them. Amirov even managed to be pretty good as a net-front presence despite his lack of size.

When he played against his peers, he was often one of the best, if not the best, players on the ice. Despite his lack of size, his defense stands out. I’d like to see him fill out his frame, but despite not being a very physical player, he knows how to use his quickness to his advantage on defense.

Speaking of his quickness, Amirov can be very elusive as a skater. He’s excellent at quickly getting to places and getting back out. Amirov is also surprisingly effective as a forechecker, as I often saw him stealing pucks on the forecheck. He didn’t look out of place on the penalty kill, either.

Weaknesses

There are a few concerns about Amirov’s game. First of all, his game on offense can be a bit too simple and safe at times. The few times I saw him he got creative, I really liked what I saw. I’m admittedly biased towards more creative players, so take that with a grain of salt.

Secondly, his size is a bit concerning. I’m not sold he’ll be able to sustain his style of play in the NHL if he doesn’t add to his frame a bit. Also, Amirov is likely never going to be a very physical player. Which is fine because he knows how to use his other tools to be an effective player. But it’s still something to keep an eye on.

Thirdly, Amirov can be played off the puck rather easily. This is likely because of his lack of size. It’s clear Amirov needs to add some strength to his lower body. That could help him skate through checks more often and it would help his overall game as well.

Finally, Amirov is likely going to be a bit more of a project. In other words, it’ll likely take him a little bit longer than other forwards to get to the NHL. I think, ultimately, that’s what’s going to make him fall a bit in the draft.

What They’re Saying

"Amirov has all the tools to be a top-six winger in the NHL but still needs more development time. – Ben Kerr, Last Word On Hockey"

"He flashes high-end playmaking and shooting ability, but neither consistently. His game is more about his pure skill and driving play forward with a ton of clean entries.  – Corey Pronman, The Athletic"

Potential And Comparison

I think Amirov has a fairly high floor compared to other prospects. His commitment to being effective in all three zones should make him an NHL forward, and most likely at least a top-nine forward. Amirov has the tools you want to see in a penalty killer.

Ultimately, though, it’s going to come down to how much does his offensive game develop. He has the potential to be a top-six forward in the NHL, contributing on both ends of special teams.