It's another time of the hockey calendar where teams are expected to do dozens of dozens of trades. That means, as is tradition, that the Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly shopping young winger Nick Robertson.
According to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos on Friday morning, the Leafs are engaging in trade discussions -- or at least want to -- with teams around the league to send out the 23-year-old winger. Robertson just finished a season where he played the most games he has had for the Leafs since being drafted six years ago. In 69 games played, he scored 15 goals and 22 points.
To keep it extremely simple and not complicated whatsoever, we can think of a few reasons why the Maple Leafs might consider trading Robertson, even though he’s shown flashes of offensive talent in his short career:
Trade requests in the past: Robertson reportedly requested a trade last summer, frustrated by limited playing time and inconsistent usage. While he later signed a one-year deal and returned with a strong attitude, that history could still influence the team’s decision-making.
Roster priorities: The Leafs are juggling major contract negotiations with stars like Mitch Marner and John Tavares, as well as younger RFAs like Matthew Knies. With limited cap space, they may prioritize other players and see Robertson as a movable asset.
Inconsistent role: Despite playing a career-high 69 games last season, as we mentioned, Robertson averaged just 12 minutes per game and was scratched in most playoff games. His high shot rate of averaging 1.62 shots on goal per game played, and scoring efficiency suggest potential, but his defensive metrics and limited trust from coaches raise questions.
Arbitration rights: This offseason, Robertson has arbitration rights, which could complicate contract negotiations. If the Leafs and Robertson can’t agree on a deal, a trade might be the cleanest resolution.
Laid out all in front of us like that, it makes sense that the Leafs might want to move on. But, should they? Robertson is going to be a cheap deal on his next contract that he signs this summer, no matter what. With limited experience, Evolving-Hockey is predicting a contract around the two-year, $4.346 million range. That is much cheaper than any potential 20-goal scorer they are going to sign in free agency or acquire in a trade.
If Robertson can figure out everything else, he can be an extremely valuable asset for a team that needs scoring depth. Should that be Toronto? Yes, probably, but it seems the Leafs have made up their minds at this time.