The NHL Free Agency began with a bang on Canada Day, and the Toronto Maple Leafs quickly dove into the action.
Shortly after the market opened, the Leafs announced the signings of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz, who had recently celebrated the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup parade. These moves, along with extending Max Domi and signing Chris Tanev after acquiring his rights, have significantly reshaped the team’s roster. Domi’s signing, in particular, led to the Leafs bowing out of the race for Tyler Bertuzzi, who then secured a five-million-dollar deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The first day of free agency, and the days leading up to it, have clarified much about the team’s future direction. Before the weekend, there were numerous questions: Would the Leafs trade for a goalie? How would they address their defensive needs? What were their plans for Domi and Bertuzzi? And there was the endless speculation about a Mitch Marner trade.
Many of these questions have now been answered. However, the Maple Leafs still face one significant dilemma: Nicholas Robertson.
A New Tough Decision for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Robertson and Timothy Liljegren were the two restricted free agents the Maple Leafs needed to negotiate with. While the team quickly reached a deal with Liljegren, reports surfaced that Robertson had asked to be traded over the weekend.
Given Robertson’s struggle to secure a consistent spot on the Maple Leafs roster and his expressed frustrations over the past year, it’s not surprising to hear that he’s unhappy in Toronto and wishes to move on. Despite being one of the Leafs’ most productive players at five-on-five, he struggled to get regular playing time.
Last season, Robertson ranked 17th in the NHL in goals per 60 minutes among players with 300 or more minutes on the ice and 37th in points per 60 minutes. These are impressive stats, especially considering he often played with Ryan Reaves, Noah Gregor, and David Kämpf. Despite this, he only appeared in 56 games (via NaturalStatTrick).
Despite Robertson’s desire for a trade, the Maple Leafs control his rights, and the front office seems reluctant to let him go.
It will be interesting to see how the Maple Leafs handle this situation, as Robertson will undoubtedly attract interest from other teams. Any team would love to acquire a player who could become one of the NHL’s best depth scorers this season and has the potential to be a 40-goal scorer.
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Despite Robertson’s trade request, the best course of action for the Maple Leafs might be to retain him and provide the consistent minutes he seeks. If given consistent playing time, Robertson could emerge as one of the league’s most underrated and effective depth scorers.
At only 22 years old, he has significant room for growth. Trading away such a promising player would be a shame unless the return is overwhelmingly favorable.
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