#2. Nick Robertson
What better player to replace Hyman than to give the youngster a promotion to the top-line?
I’m sure my expectations are way too high for Nick Robertson, but how can you not be excited for him in the NHL? In his last 100 games in the OHL, he had 82(!) goals. If he could score at half that rate in the show, he’d be an unbelievable asset to the Leafs.
He may be small, but that shouldn’t matter. He has an elite shot and on a wing with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, he could be lethal. I don’t think it’s farfetched to think that Robertson could score 30 goals paired beside those players every night.
Currently making $821,667 on an Entry Level Contract for three more seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs could be getting an absolute steal by having Robertson on the top-line. Also, what better way to improve and get used to the NHL, then to play with the best players against the other team’s best opponents?
Instead of easing him into the line-up, he could learn the hard-way by playing tough minutes nightly. This could obviously backfire, but I think Robertson is far too talented to fail. Especially paired beside arguably two future Hall-of-Famers every night.