Top 3 teams who should call the Maple Leafs for Nick Robertson

While the Maple Leafs will buy at the trade deadline, there is one player in their organization they may look to sell.

Dec 19, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) skates
Dec 19, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) skates | Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
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Nick Robertson is another youngster the Anaheim Ducks should keep an eye on

Teams fully entrenched in their respective rebuilding efforts like the Anaheim Ducks should be looking to find ways to bring in young players with high potential, whether it’s someone like Edmonton’s Philip Broberg, Detroit’s Jonatan Berggren, or Nick Robertson. 

Luckily for the Maple Leafs, the Ducks have a defenseman who is quite familiar to the fans in Ontario: Ilya Lyubushkin. Just two seasons ago, the Maple Leafs traded for Lyubushkin in hopes that the hard-hitting blueliner would help their team defensively. This year, Toronto once again finds itself in a predicament where they need help on the blue line, and Lyubushkin could be there for the taking. 

Injuries marred Lyubushkin’s 2022-23 season during his lone year with the rival Buffalo Sabres, but with the Ducks, the 29-year-old has been one of the more durable players out there.

As with a potential trade with Arizona for Dumba, the Ducks would be looking for more than just a prospect with NHL experience for Lyubushkin. But it also doesn’t mean the Maple Leafs can’t add the winger into a potential trade package to entice Anaheim to send Lyubushkin back to Ontario. 

The Ducks will look for young players whose time with their current organizations hasn't gone as planned. And they will be shopping Lyubushkin to contenders that are cool with inserting a young player as part of a trade package. 

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