Former Maple Leafs first round pick Rodion Amirov diagnosed with brain tumor

By Jack Bantock, CNN

Updated 1046 GMT (1846 HKT) February 24, 2022

Amirov celebrates a goal against Austria during the first period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship game in December 2020.

(CNN)Rodion Amirov, the No. 15 pick in the NHL's 2020 Draft, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old Russian forward was selected as a first round draft pick by the Maple Leafs in 2020, and in April 2021, the team announced that Amirov had signed a three-year entry level contract.«I regret to inform our fans that Rodion Amirov has been diagnosed with a brain tumour,» Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement.The 20-year-old Russian forward had begun the season with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before sustaining an injury.«New, unrelated symptoms that required ongoing extensive investigations» developed during Amirov's injury recovery, the statement added. Read MoreAccording to the team, Amirov is undergoing treatment at a medical facility in Germany and will not play for the remainder of the season. «Our medical staff has been involved throughout the process alongside Ufa's and we are in direct contact with the facility on an ongoing basis to monitor his treatment and care,» the team's statement said.«Rodion has the complete support of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and we will continue to ensure he receives the best care possible throughout this process.»Amirov skates during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship game between Russia and Sweden in December 2020.'Never give up'Having completed his first week of chemotherapy, Amirov said he «wants to stay positive» in an interview with Sportsnet reporter Elliote