The NHL is starting to get interesting again. The Leafs named a new captain, teams are trading, offer sheets are being signed, and higher profile RFAs are signing their deals. Couple this with the return of pumpkin spice and it’s beginning to feel like fall.
As for me, I’m on vacation but took a few moments for some thoughts on the Leafs:
Robertson no rush for Leafs
With the signing of Alex Steeves, Nick Robertson has officially become the last unsigned player the Leafs need to deal with. There hasn’t been any change in the stance for either side since Robertson stated he has no intention of signing with the Leafs and the Leafs implied they would like to keep him. None of that lends itself to a quick solution and having this go until training camp should be the expectation. What happens next seems to lend itself to the Leafs gaining leverage.
At this point in his career it is far more important for Nick Robertson to get on the ice and get in a full training camp and earn a spot in the lineup. Whether it is with the Leafs or someone else, the timeline for Robertson should be seeking a resolution by mid September.
From the Leafs perspective they are going to have options they want to explore. Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan are already going to get serious looks, and Nikita Grebonkin, Alex Steeves, and others are going to make cases as well, that’s even before getting around to the obvious Robertson replacement, Alex Nylander. I’m sure the Leafs would like to see what they can do with Robertson and don’t want to impact his trade value, but don’t need to prioritize anything around Robertson. They can either wait for an appropriate trade partner or Robertson’s camp to be ready to sign.
The options on Robertson’s side are far more limited. Offer sheets would only come at a low price and the Leafs would match, locking Robertson into a year with Toronto that he apparently doesn’t want. The other option is to play in Europe, and for a non-European player the options are likely limited and would involve taking a step back at a time when Robertson should be attempting to build on his first real case that he’s an NHL regular. Still, if he’s 100% unwilling to play in Toronto this is possible and Robertson working out with a Swiss team during training camp seems like a headline we can expect in late September.
As a restricted free agent, Robertson doesn’t have much leverage. Choosing not to sign is one of the few cards he can play and he’s well within his right to play it. That being said, the Leafs are equally in their right to treat Robertson like an asset and someone they valued a low cost scoring winger that they could use and have reluctance to move on from him. It’s actually an interesting situation since the value on Robertson is just enough the Leafs wouldn’t let him walk but not so much that any team will make it worth their while to move on from him.
The situation is more of a curiosity and loose end rather than something that will have a significant impact on the Leafs, but that said tying up loose ends before training camp is still ideal.
The McGroarty trade template
My true passion when it comes to the Maple Leafs is the mental gymnastics to make anything that happens in the NHL about Toronto somehow. And while the Kyle Dubas connection would be low hanging fruit when it comes to the Rutger McGroarty trade, I prefer to look at how a deal like that could in someway benefit the Leafs at some point.
I’d be hard pressed to think of a current example around the NHL now that McGroarty and Askarov have moved on, but using prospects and draft picks in exchange for more NHL ready prospects that fit with the Leafs best competitive window and address specific needs has a lot of merit even if was coming at the price of top prospects.
As TLN nears the top of our prospect countdown it is worth considering as well that none of the players available really seem like they’d be enough in return for what McGroarty or Askarov received in return, so this isn’t about pining over a missed opportunity. Instead it is about looking at what other similar options could be available with the assets the Leafs do have.
