The contract stalemate is over: Nick Robertson is back with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Robertson signed a one-year, $875,000 deal on Tuesday, eight days before training camp is set to open in Toronto. He had previously requested a trade in June, indicating he no longer wanted to play for the Leafs, who drafted him in the second round five years ago.
Robertson, who turns 23 on Wednesday, has played only 87 games in the NHL and contributed 17 goals and 34 points.
Robertson’s trade request was tied to a perceived lack of opportunity. He averaged only 11 minutes and 23 seconds per game last season while playing mostly on the third and fourth line.
🖊️ We’ve re-signed forward Nick Robertson to a one-year contract pic.twitter.com/GJ0nGp6hW2
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) September 10, 2024
A conversation with new Leafs coach Craig Berube, however, apparently helped bridge the gap, and Robertson’s bargain of a contract will fit in easily with Toronto despite its relatively tight salary cap situation. After re-signing Robertson, the Leafs have $400,333 in cap space remaining with 22 players on the roster.
Robertson should get an opportunity further up the lineup this season, as the Leafs are thin at left wing and will need his scoring punch in the top nine. He is a candidate for a breakout season after posting career highs of 14 goals and 27 points last year.
Robertson’s main competition up the Leafs lineup will be younger and/or relatively inexperienced players. Toronto’s other main left wingers — Matthew Knies, Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg — all have under 100 games of NHL experience, and there are two slots alongside star centers Auston Matthews and John Tavares to be filled.
Unless the Leafs bring in a veteran free agent like Max Pacioretty in the next week, one of those spots very well could be Robertson’s.
The biggest limiting factor thus far in Robertson’s career has been injuries, as he’s missed considerable time over the past few seasons with a variety of ailments. But if he wins a top-six role and a spot on the second power-play unit out of camp, it’s plausible he could produce 20-plus goals and more than 40 points, giving the Leafs a needed boost after losing Tyler Bertuzzi to Chicago in free agency this summer.
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(Photo: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)
