The Toronto Maple Leafs will face off against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Nick Robertson will play his first NHL game of the 2022-23 season.
Robertson and the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing against Nick’s older brother Jason Robertson. While Jason has established himself as one of Dallas’ top scorers, Nick is still trying to earn a permanent spot on Toronto’s roster. He stood out during the preseason, scoring seven points but was ultimately sent down to the AHL because he is waiver-exempt.
With goaltender Matt Murray on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) until at least November 8th, Nick Robertson is getting an opportunity to shine. Helping the Maple Leafs win and beating your brother to do it would be a great first game of the season for Robertson. The young forward will get plenty of ice time playing on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander.
While his brother is off to a good start with five points in three games for Dallas, Robertson will be looking for his first point of the season. He recorded two points in 16 games last season but dealt with injuries. The 2022-23 season will hopefully be better for him. Robertson was great in junior but has yet to make an impact at the pro level. Changing that will begin on Thursday night against his brother and the Dallas Stars. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)
Expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson
After losing 4-2 against the Arizona Coyotes on Monday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for a better effort against Dallas. Head coach Sheldon Keefe is expecting a good start from his players. He will want to see them firing on all cylinders. Keefe and fans can expect to see Robertson come out flying and ready to go. Hopefully, his teammates will do the same.
Beating the Dallas Stars will not be easy. They have started the 2022-23 season with a 3-0-0 record while scoring 13 goals and only allowing three goals. Not only will Toronto need a good start, but they will need to play a full 60 minutes.
Tavares is leading the team in points with five, and Nylander is leading the team in goals with three. Playing Robertson with those two should help him find success on Thursday night. He made a statement in the preseason and is looking to make an even bigger statement in the regular season.