The head coach “Salavat Yulayev” Viktor Kozlov said that the hockey players of the Ufa team will play not only for themselves, but also for the deceased striker Rodion Amirov .
Amirov has been battling a brain tumor since February 2022. The 21-year-old student from Salavat died on August 14. On Thursday, the Ufa club announced that it would withdraw the number 27, under which Amirov played, from circulation.
— I don’t think it will affect the psychology of the players. On the contrary, it will stimulate them. We will not only play for ourselves, but also for Rodion. For a few years we have been playing for Rodion. What will he had, how he fought, he was constantly in touch with the guys, supported them. It’s such a thing that should motivate hockey players when they go out on the ice, ”the team’s press service quoted Kozlov as saying.
Amirov was selected 15th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by Toronto. In April 2021, the Russian signed a three-year rookie contract with the Canadian club. For Salavat Yulaev, he played 79 games in the KHL, during which he scored 18 points (10 goals + 8 assists).
The new KHL season kicks off on September 1 with the opening Cup game between CSKA and Ak Bars Kazan.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
