As the Toronto Maple Leafs get set for the new 24-team playoff format, one player in particular is already getting set for next season’s training camp.
It’s all work and no play for Nick Robertson, who was the Toronto Maple Leafs first pick in the 2019 NHL draft.
A small, shifty player who’s displayed his ability to score from almost anywhere on the ice this year playing on the Peterborough Petes.
It’s not just about the on-ice play that makes a player like Robertson so special. While you may have seen the work he puts in on the ice, his off-ice work ethic in second-to-none.
And with that — it will be a huge stepping-stone as his journey to the NHL is nearby.
When the rest of the OHL season was cancelled due to Covid-19, Robertson went back home to California, where he continued working on his craft.
On his Instagram, you’ll find workout videos from the 18-year-old, plus some cute pictures of his dog, which is always nice.
That isn’t the point though.
After finishing third in Red Tilson trophy voting, which is for the OHL’s most outstanding player, Robertson still has his eye on the prize, which is the NHL.
In an article from The Athletic, Robertson is very dead-set on playing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Some guys come into this league and have a good time,” said Robertson in the article. “But I’m here as a temporary stop. This is just the car to get me to the NHL. Let’s put it that way.”
His biggest asset is his shot, which could already be one of the best in the NHL. And he’s not even there yet.
Robertson lead all of the CHL in goals with 55 in 46 games. He scored more than 50 goals in less than 50 games. That puts him 7th all-time for most goals-per-game in a single season in the OHL.
That’s insane, but will he be able to translate that to the NHL?
“I think everyone in the NHL has a great shot,” said Robertson to Joshua Kloke of The Athletic, “but I think mine could definitely be a good addition to Toronto.”
If he’s saying that about the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have players with great shots like Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares, he’s very confident, and ready for any challenge.
Whether the Toronto Maple Leafs are willing to have him on the team next season is yet to be seen, but Robertson is ready and willing to play anywhere on the ice, when asked.
With the Leafs in need of players who can out-perform cheap contracts, Robertson – who’ll start on an entry-level deal – will get every chance to make it.