The time is getting closer, and closer for the Toronto Maple Leafs to return to the ice and resume action against the Columbus Blue Jackets for the play-in series.
The date is set and the fans can’t wait, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be playing the Columbus Blue Jackets in the play-in series starting on August 2nd in Toronto.
The lineups aren’t set in stone just yet, but we basically have an idea of what they are going to look like. However there’s one player who fans want to see in the lineup but we’re not sure if he’ll make it out of training camp.
That one player goes by the name of Nick Robertson… so should he make the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup for the play-in series or is it best to sit him out?
Nick Robertson Stats
Now as most of us know by now, Nick Robertson is one of the Toronto Maple Leafs best prospects in their pool.
However he hasn’t played a single NHL or AHL game to date but that isn’t a bad thing as he is only 18 years old and has just finished up his third year in the OHL. What a strong season it was for the young man for the Peterborough Petes.
2019-20 OHL stats (Peterborough Petes) – 46 GP – 55 G – 31 A – 86 PTS
Career OHL stats (Peterborough Petes) – 162 GP – 97 G – 77 A – 174 PTS
Just looking at his stats throughout the three years in the OHL he has progressed a lot in each year of him being there. Now that’s a good sign obviously as he increased his goal totals along with his assist totals and point totals every year. (Stats from EliteProspects.com)
Does it Make Sense to Suite Robertson up?
Now the big question, does it make sense for the Toronto Maple Leafs to suite Nick Robertson up for the play-in series against the Columbus Blue Jackets? My answer for you, yes and no. Yes and no for multiple reasons though and i’ll explain them right now.
This kid is the real deal, he likely would have been a top ten pick in this year’s draft if he had been born five days later. (He barely made the cut off, and was the youngest player in last year’ s draft).
Anyways this kid is talented and I, along with others would love for Robertson to play in the play-in series for multiple reasons like, adding more scoring to the lineup, getting a first hand look at what he can do at the NHL level, and potentially taking Frederik Gauthier out of the lineup which most fans probably want at this point.
Like I stated above I would love for him to jump in and play and help with the scoring depth on this team, but I also don’t want him playing simply because it’s the playoffs and he’s never played an NHL game before.
What I mean by that is the playoffs are more high tempo and physical and throwing a guy like him in the lineup who is much smaller and primarily skill based could be bad but at the same time you never know what could happen he could show what he’s truly worth and light it up against teams.
Although if you put Robertson in the lineup you’re more than likely taking a guy like Frederik Gauthier out unless somehow someway they take Pierre Engvall out which I doubt, and taking a guy like Gauthier out of the lineup means you just lost a guy in size and strength. Yes he might not use his body to his advantage a ton, but he still has the size and weight on his side and could use it at any given time when needed.
Possible Lineups With/Without Robertson
So now that we have gone over reasons to why it would be good and reasons to why it wouldn’t be good to put Nick Robertson in the lineup let’s go over the possible lines for the Toronto Maple Leafs if he suites up and if he doesn’t suite up against Columbus.
WITHOUT ROBERTSON
Nylander – Matthews – Hyman
Mikheyev – Tavares – Marner
Engvall – Kerfoot – Kapanen
Clifford – Gauthier – Spezza
WITH ROBERTSON
Nylander – Matthews – Hyman
Mikheyev – Tavares – Marner
Robertson/Engvall – Kerfoot – Kapanen
Robertson/Engvall – Spezza – Clifford
Do you think the Toronto Maple Leafs should dress Nick Robertson in the play-in series and potentially beyond, or is it their best bet if they sit him and start him potentially during the 2020/21 season instead?