It was a banner season for Nick Robertson in 2024-25. In 69 games for the Leafs, he recorded a career-high 15 goals, along with seven assists, for 22 points. This performance came with Robertson spending most of his time on the third line and getting around 12 minutes of ice time a night. It was the third straight season of Robertson's stats improving with an increase in minutes. It appears that he's inching closer to becoming the player the Leafs expect him to be.
However, although Robertson put in a decent season, he's not a lock to make the Opening Night roster. With the Leafs having a plethora of NHL-level forwards, Robertson is on the bubble. With the top three lines for the Leafs pretty much set, the only position available is to be a winger on the fourth line. However, does Robertson fit the fourth line the Leafs plan to roll out?
Does Nick Robertson's style of play mesh with the fourth line?
Throughout his career, Robertson's claim to fame has been his offensive ability. Whether it's setting up his teammates for goals or finding the back of the net, Robertson has been a force on offense for every team he's played for. However, while he excels on offense, he falls below average in every other aspect of the game. He's a bit undersized, which means he can get bullied at times, and lacks physicality. His defense is also average at best.
The fourth line the Maple Leafs could be planning to roll out in 2025-26 is Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Calle Jarnkrok. All three of these players are solid defensive players. Lorentz and Laughton are more physical and like to use their size to contain the opposing offense. Although Jarnkrok is not as physical as the other two, his high hockey IQ allows him to make the right decision to make a defensive stop. It looks like the Leafs plan on their fourth line being a physical and defensively responsible line.
Robertson does not fit with that line's identity. You can't have an offensive first forward play with defensive-minded players. That leaves the team exposed to blown assignments and lapses on defense. It's also detrimental to Robertson's development because you're not utilizing his strengths as a player. How is he supposed to become an NHL-calibre scorer if he's playing with guys who aren't strong offensive players?
The only way a fourth line with Robertson would work is if they added another offensive first player to that line. But with their top six already being offensive first, it would make no sense to have another line like that. It would open the Maple Leafs up to being the same soft team they've been for years. The same one that's been unable to make it past the second round of the playoffs.
While Robertson is a player with good upside, he just does not fit the way the team is constructed. At this point he's nothing more than someone who should be given another chance with another organization, at this point. But right now, he's down on the fourth line as he tries to carve out a more speciality role.