Injuries are an unfortunate part of hockey and they could derail someone’s career immediately if it becomes habitual. Hopefully, that will not be the case with left winger Nicholas Robertson and his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Make no mistake about it, before he was hurt and playing in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, Robertson was showcasing his skills to the hockey world and making his case for being one of the top prospects in the entire organization.
Unfortunately, he got hit with a severe shoulder injury back in mid-January that required surgery as it remains to be seen if he’ll be the same player in the future. He won’t be returning this season but at any rate, the Maple Leafs should definitely keep him around and not consider getting rid of him in any salary cap-saving moves or potential trades.
Toronto Maple Leafs should stick with Nicholas Robertson
Robertson is set to be a restricted free agent in 2024 and should be healthy again by around mid to late summer. It wouldn’t make sense to give up on him now considering the potential is there. If anything, the Maple Leafs should see how things go in the AHL this upcoming season as he rehabs back into hockey form and take it from there.
Considering Robertson is only 21 years old, he still has a lot to learn, develop, and execute before he reaches his true potential. Of course, a shoulder injury is something to be concerned about but only time will tell in the grand scheme of things. Again, the potential is there and patience is key to see where he’s at once he’s fully healed up and ready to get back into the swing of things.
Hopefully, Robertson returns healthy, continues to play well to earn playing time with the Maple Leafs next season, and we can all see how things shape up. The Maple Leafs need to continue working on developing their young prospects for continued success in the future since that’s what all the top teams do. It would be a shame to get rid of him now only for another team to get the version of Robertson we all know he’s potentially capable of.