Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson is a restricted free agent this summer and reports have surfaced he’d prefer to be traded. Robertson, 22, has dealt with a series of tough injuries, he’s indirectly battled the salary cap being stuck in a numbers game on two occasions and he most recently just went through severe trust issues with former head coach Sheldon Keefe.
While Craig Berube is now behind the bench, apparently that hasn’t changed Robertson’s outlook and the former second-round pick wants out. General manager Brad Treliving has been quiet on the trade market so far this offseason, but that doesn’t mean things can’t change in a hurry.
Here’s three potential landing spots as the Robertson trade rumors continue to swirl:
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken have been busy spending money this offseason handing out lucrative contracts to Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour. Could a Robertson trade be next? Seattle makes an interesting case for a potential suitor as they finished 28th in goals per game last season and could use Robertson’s finishing ability to bolster their offense.
At just 22 years old, Robertson still has a ton of upside and untapped potential, which could appeal to Kraken general manager Ron Francis, who is still trying to assemble the right amount of balance throughout his lineup. Seattle has over $6 million to work with in cap space and could easily fit in Robertson’s next contract. They have some holes within their lineup up front and could give Robertson a chance at some top-six minutes and second power-play time.
Seattle has shown a willingness to take on forwards who are ‘pushed’ out of town, including Eeli Tolvanen who was waived by Nashville and has quickly become a productive forward for the Kraken, who awarded Tolvanen recently with a multi-year contract extension. Could Robertson be next up?
What about this potential swap? Kraken send Brandon Tanev and retain half of his salary, for Robertson? This trade would give the Maple Leafs an ideal depth forward to insert into the bottom six and reunite the Tanev brother’s together for their home-town team. His playing style matches Berube’s coaching style to a tee.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights could be a trade option for Robertson as they have a desperate need for help on the wing. Their thin depth chart could be music to the ears of a player like Robertson who is chomping at the bit for more consistent minutes within a top six.
Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon has shown in the past he’s never shy to make a trade and it seems like the moves get bolder with each passing transaction. Salary cap constraints are going to play a factor in any offseason move out of the Golden Knights executive as McCrimmon currently has his team over the cap by about $3.6 million and will have to navigate the finances before opening night.
Just because there’s some salary cap issues, doesn’t mean the Golden Knights won’t be interested. They have all summer to get cap compliant and McCrimmon’s shown a history of finagling the finances when many felt he couldn’t. The likes of Viktor Olofsson, Brendan Brisson and Pavel Dorofeyev could use some internal competition from a player like Robertson, as the Golden Knights are in jeopardy of taking a giant step backwards next season.
One possible target from Vegas who could appeal to Treliving and company would be 6-foot-3 right-handed centre Brett Howden. The former 2016 first-round pick recorded 19 points in 72 games last season, he has a history of killing penalties and can play both the wing and down the middle. The 26-year-old Howden has one season left on his contract at $1.9 million against the cap.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers ranked 27th in the NHL last season in goals per game and could use Robertson’s scoring touch. They also happen to have Daniel Briere as their general manager, who is very familiar with being an undersized offensive winger looking to make a strides in his NHL career.
The Flyers are an up-and-coming type of team who are expected to push for a playoff spot next season. They have room to add Robertson to their top-six as they aren’t loaded with much depth at left-wing. There’s also Morgan Frost to consider here as well, as the Toronto native has been dealing with a shaky relationship with head coach John Tortorella and is certainly one to consider as a trade candidate out of Philly.
Frost has some warts, as does Robertson, but there could be some substance here to consider. The Leafs need versatile forwards who can play on the wing and down the middle and with Frost being just 25 years old, a restricted free agent at season’s end, familiar with the franchise and with an ability to score in bunches, there could be deal worth exploring. Frost’s game doesn’t scream a Berube-style, but that doesn’t mean the Leafs shouldn’t be interested. It’s not often a young forward with this much promise becomes available.
At the end of the day, Treliving and the Maple Leafs know Robertson wants out, but they also prefer to keep him from the sounds of it. After the news broke about Robertson’s aspirations to move on, Treliving was asked about his future and had this to say, “Obviously, I have known that there was some frustration with Nick, but we look at Nick as an excellent player. There’s great opportunity for Nick here. We need him to be a good player for us.”
Nevertheless, even with Treliving’s desires expect to hear a flurry of Robertson trade rumors up until either there’s a move announced or a contract extension signed. If the Leafs GM does pull the trigger on a trade, the Kraken, Flyers and Golden Knights make various levels of sense as potential landing spots.
