Maple Leafs, Nick Robertson avert disaster by agreeing to new contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs agreed to terms with RFA Nick Robertson on a one-year, $1.825 million contract on Saturday, insider Elliotte Friedman initially reported.

Robertson and the Maple Leafs were headed to an arbitration hearing on Sunday as the two sides had reached a stalemate yet again. However, disaster was averted with the one-year pact.

According to Friedman, there was roughly a $1 million gap between the Maple Leafs and Robertson. The Leafs were reportedly offering $1.2 million, while Robertson’s camp was looking to fetch $2.25 million.

The $1.825 million pact seems to see a middle-ground sufficiently agreeable to Robertson and the Maple Leafs.

Robertson was the last pending player in this offseason’s arbitration dealings. None of the 11 players who filed for arbitration went to a hearing. That’s good news for the players and their respective teams as arbitration hearings tend to foster bad blood among teams and players.

By settling now, the Maple Leafs and Robertson avoid escalating whatever animosity may already exist between the two camps. The focus will now turn to prepping for the upcoming season.

The 23-year-old Robertson is coming off a 15-goal season in just 69 games. It’s safe to infer that if Robertson had played a full 82-game slate, he could have topped 20 goals. That could be the benchmark for the former second-round pick.

While he doesn’t have a roster spot guaranteed, the hope is that Nick Robertson will step up his game in 2025-26. For the time being, Robertson will be looking to gain a meaningful role in the club’s middle six.

Robertson could struggle to crack Maple Leafs Opening Night lineup

Daily Faceoff projects the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup featuring Auston Matthews leading the top line with Matthew Knies and Matias Maccelli on the wings. The second line figures to be John Tavares down the middle with William Nylander and Max Domi flanking him.

So far, nothing particularly unusual.

The bottom six features Nicolas Roy as the 3C with Bobby McMann and newly-acquired Dakota Joshua on the wings. The fourth line looks solid with Scott Laughton, Calle Jarnkrok, and Steven Lorentz.

But that projection does not account for Robertson in the lineup. As it stands, there aren’t many available spots. Perhaps Robertson could leapfrog someone like McMann. But that would take an incredible camp from Robertson and a terrible showing on McMann’s part.

That situation means that Robertson could be headed to the press box as the Maple Leafs’ 13th forward this season. But why pay nearly $2 million for a player who’ll be a healthy scratch most of the season?

The solution could be a trade. Either Robertson goes or someone like Jarnkrok gets traded to open up a roster spot for Robertson.

Ultimately, it looks like Nick Robertson will either have to wow the pants off the team and crack the top six or sit in the press box until someone goes down.