For what feels like the 100th time, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson is reportedly back on the trade block.
In four games, Robertson has one assist and is only averaging 11:12 TOI. Many Toronto Maple Leafs fans hoped that he'd be given a role in the top-six to shine, but unfortunately for Robertson, he's been passed over for Matias Maccelli and Easton Cowan.
After the Steven Lorentz injury, it's quite possible that Robertson will remain on the team's third line for the meantime as they don't have many better options, but TSN's Darren Dreger was pretty clear in his report that GM Brad Treliving is looking to move the young winger, saying:
"The 24-year-old finds himself one more time in a very familiar spot with theToronto Maple Leafs, and he’s hoping for a larger role, opportunity in the National Hockey League. He’s pushing 160 NHL games. I know that Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has recently talked with clubs that may have some interest in Nick Robertson. Given the depth that the Maple Leafs have, it’s a tough spot for Robertson. So maybe it’s time to give him a fresh start somewhere else."
This is not the first time that Robertson's name has been in trade talks so it's not surprising that his name has surfaced again. When you're a highly-skilled winger playing bottom-six minutes, you're not going to be the best version of yourself. As much as I have loved his enery and his ability to forecheck and hit people down-low, I feel like he has the ability to be what Matias Maccelli was in Arizona/Utah.
Toronto Maple Leafs must trade Nick Robertson
When the Leafs signed Maccelli, they essentially said they weren't going to give Robertson a chance because in my opinion, Robertson could be exactly what Maccelli was with that organization. In 82 games, Maccelli scored 17 goals and registered 57 points as an undersized winger, and was given a bigger opportunity because he was on a bad team.
After showing that he had some offensive upside in Utah, the Leafs took a chance on the winger to have a bigger role in Toronto and I think Robertson can eventually make that path.
Robertson needs to find himself on a bottom-feeder team in the NHL that will play him top-six minutes, so that he can eventually shine. I have no doubt that Robertson has enough skill to be a 18-20 minutes per night player and truly think that he can score 25-30 goals per year if given the right opportunity, so if he's not going to be given that shot in Toronto, the team needs to let him go.
Even if the Leafs only get a low-end prospect or draft pick for Robertson, it'll be worth as the team is wasting the 24-year-old's time by playing him in the bottom-six every night.