Maple Leafs winger still hoping to get traded before season begins

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nicholas Robertson is still pushing for a move before the season starts, even despite the chance at a growing role in the lineup, The Athletic’s Chris Johnston shared on the latest  “First Up” podcast with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo. Robertson has been in trade talks since early February, but it doesn’t seem any discussions have made it far down the line.

Robertson will be entering his fifth professional season in the upcoming year — impressive experience for someone still a few weeks away from age 23. He’s garnered 87 games of NHL experience in that span — and while his performances haven’t been very inspiring, his 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games last season suggested Robertson’s goal-scoring days weren’t all behind him. His juniors career — three years with the Peterborough Petes from 2017 to 2020 — was defined by a dazzling shooting ability. Robertson posted 27 goals and 55 points in 54 games during his draft year, good enough to land 53rd overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, even amid concerns about his skating and drive. Robertson quieted critics quickly with an outstanding 55 goals and 86 points in just 46 games in the following season. He’s shown flashes of that scoring ability at the top level, most notably scoring 16 goals and 28 points in 28 games during the 2021-22 AHL season, but the production has been far from consistent.

Part of that can be chalked up to Robertson’s minimal role in the lineup. The 2023-24 campaign was the first time that Robertson averaged over 11 minutes of ice time, and the first time that he managed a point on special teams. The Leafs have had the privilege of icing wingers like Michael Bunting and Matthew Knies ahead of Robertson, but still haven’t provided their young prospect any favors in his competition for bottom-six minutes. That could be attributed to former head coach Sheldon Keefe, who has since moved on to the New Jersey Devils. His successor, Craig Berube, could prove a more supportive option after leading the initial success of shoot-first winger Jake Neighbours’ last season — but only if Robertson can hold his own.

Should he return to Toronto, Robertson will step back into competition with players like Knies, Max Domi and Pontus Holmberg for space on the team’s left-wing. That position battle could lead to promising minutes next to Auston Matthews or John Tavares, but Domi and Knies had the advantage of building chemistry with their centers last season. Should Robertson instead be on the move, he’ll be one of the trade market’s only active names entering September — and could offer tantalizing upside for teams unhappy with their scoring depth. His 17 goals and 34 points in 87 career games should be enough to sway interested teams, especially with the Leafs not in a position to ask for much for a former second-rounder who’s yet to pay off. With Patrik Laine recently traded, it seems Robertson is destined to become the market’s next shoot-first winger looking for greener pastures.