Nick Robertson will be staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs for one more season. ESPN confirmed Robertson had signed a one-year, $875K deal to keep him in Toronto for this upcoming season.
According to reports, Robertson met with new Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube, who assured Robertson he would get plenty of opportunities to crack the roster. Realistically, Robertson has the best chance he’s ever had to be a meaningful contributor to the team.
The contract terms also make sense for both sides. Robertson gets fair market value, while the Leafs keep their salary cap management in check. With the deal, the stalemate between Robertson and the Leafs comes to a momentary end, putting a lid on months of speculation.
But there’s more to this deal than welcoming Robertson back into the fold. In fact, re-signing in Toronto was the smartest move Robertson could have made.
First of all, not signing with Toronto would have meant sitting out indefinitely. From a hockey development perspective, that move was madness. Robertson is not good enough to sit on his behind during training camp and expect someone else to swoop in with an offer sheet.
Second, it didn’t make financial sense for Robertson to miss a season. Beyond losing out on a paycheque, Robertson would have destroyed his future earnings by sitting out this season. As such, signing this one-year, show-me deal gives Robertson the chance to prove he’s a legit top-six NHL forward.
If all goes well, Robertson could be looking at a substantial raise next summer.
Nick Robertson was smart to re-sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs
So, there’s one huge caveat with this one-year deal: If Robertson has a terrific year, say he hits the 20-goal mark and eclipses 50 points, he could price himself out of Toronto. Robertson may want a four or five-year deal with an AAV of about $3 to $4 million.
While the Toronto Maple Leafs could make that deal work, Robertson would have far more leverage this time around. After proving that he can really make an impact, other teams might be encouraged to offer sheet Robertson.
That’s a prospect the Leafs may not want to deal with.
If the Leafs are serious about keeping Robertson for the long haul, they must sign him to an extension at some point this season. If Robertson washes out, the Leafs lose nothing. The club could even include him as a thrown-in on a trade deadline deal.
But I’ve got a feeling that the Leafs finally got this one right. They didn’t give up on a young player. From my perspective, Robertson will be a good soldier. He’ll work hard and earn his spot in the top six, mostly likely with John Tavares and William Nylander.
It’s nice to see that Nick Robertson and the Toronto Maple Leafs finally came to their sense. Both sides will be much better off for it this season.