Thought #2: Nick Robertson Theory
Once the,Toronto Maple Leafs do acquire their deadline target, restrictions put in place by the Canadian government would force said player to quarantine for two weeks before joining the franchise for any on-ice activities.
In that period, the Toronto Maple Leafs should be able to get by with their current forward depth. A combination of Jimmy Vesey, Nic Petan, or Alexander Barabanov could assume a sort of top-nine rotation, with Keefe riding the hot hand at that moment.
But I am wondering if the team gives Nick Robertson that spot. He has nine points in 10 games so far this season with the Marlies and management might want to see what they have in the 19-year-old.
Unquestionably, Robertson is more skilled than any of the taxi squad options the Leafs currently have. The Peterborough Pete alumnus showed some promise in the bubble in August of 2020, and it is for that reason Robertson was given one of the first shots to show what he can do early on in the season.
An unfortunate knee injury two minutes into his debut sidelined the rookie for an extended period of time. It will be interesting to see if management opts to give Robertson another chance here, considering they have had little opportunity to see him against NHL competition thus far.