While the playing status of Nick Robertson will not make or break the Maple Leafs in 2024-25, his desire to play elsewhere continues to be one of the loose threads on Brad Treliving’s roster and as such will be a dominant talking point heading into training camp (better than discussing Mitch Marner’s contract extension, I guess.)
The Robertson story had more fuel poured on its fire on Tuesday morning when TSN Insider Chris Johnston shared that Nick Robertson still has the desire to play somewhere else than Toronto next season.
Johnston covers off the fact that with the Leafs losing Tyler Bertuzzi on the left side there is a very real opportunity for Nick Robertson to step into a regular role on the Maple Leafs and acknowledges that the change from Sheldon Keefe to Craig Berube means a fresh start without the history of healthy scratches, and that despite there looking like better opportunities for Robertson in Toronto this season, he remains steadfast in his intent to play elsewhere.
Robertson’s situation isn’t one simply of making a trade demand and it so far going unfulfilled, this is a case of him having the limited leverage of his expired contract. Being a restricted free agent is very restrictive and there isn’t much he can do beyond not signing with the Leafs. If he signs an offer sheet, the Leafs would have the ability to match it, and it is unlikely that any team is offering him the $1.51M a year that would see the Leafs get a 3rd round pick in return let alone the $2.29M needed for a 2nd round pick, so the Leafs would match and this eliminates what would be Robertson’s next best play.
Robertson didn’t have arbitration rights, not that it would have helped the situation for him anyway and now it is just a matter of committing to staying unsigned until his rights are moved. An easy thing to do before training camp and before the season starts, but the stakes will get higher as the Leafs will continue to hold his signing rights throughout his restricted free agency years and if Toronto wishes to play hardball that would see him having to pursue overseas options instead.
The fact that Robertson is so committed to playing elsewhere could be driven by something more personal than just playing time. He wouldn’t be the first American player to prefer playing in the United States, and with his family across the continent in California, the Western Conference may hold a greater appeal for Robertson, and he is trying his best to force the Leafs’ hand to move him there.
The catch to all of this is that the Leafs still very much see the potential in Robertson as a 20-goal scorer and second powerplay unit contributor. The Leafs need affordable scoring with upside and Robertson represents that, but at the same time, Robertson doesn’t hold a great deal of value around the league. Robertson’s 2023-24 was a huge improvement statistically but despite his numbers going up there are still the red flags of Keefe’s frequent scratchings, one-dimensional play, and Robertson’s injury history that make it hard for Brad Treliving to get much value out of a deal.
From the Leafs perspective the best course of action seems to be playing the waiting game and seeing how far the former second rounder’s camp will go with this. Having Robertson, even an unhappy Nick Robertson on the Leafs roster looks like it is still in their best interest and Brad Treliving isn’t going to have as much motivation to move Robertson as he will to pursue potential Plan Bs for him. The heavy lifting on finding Robertson a new home likely falls on Robertson’s agent, Pat Brisson, to find an interested team but one willing to make a reasonable offer to the Maple Leafs.
While Nick Robertson is simply exercising the rights he has under the CBA it isn’t certainly isn’t helping his reputation in Toronto. If a change of scenery wasn’t the best thing for Robertson before it is now. That said, time heals all wounds, and the locker room is probably a more understanding place than the internet.
