As much as I want Nick Robertson to be the next Toronto Maple Leafs superstar, the experiment is over.
Nick Robertson earned a spot on the Toronto Maple Leafs this year by having a great training camp and scoring practicaly every time he hit the ice. Since the season started, he's played well but has not scored nor has he been put in a position to do so.
This season, the Leafs have played Robertson for about half his minutes with Simon Benoit. He has played frequently with Pontus Holmberg. He is ranked 15th in 5v5 ice-time per game on the team, and 10th in power-play ice-time per game.
And yet, despite only having one goal, he's winning his minutes, by both real and expected goals, and producing dangerous chances at one of the highest rates on the team.
He needs to play more, or he needs to play on a different team.
The Toronto Maple Leafs should trade Nick Robertson if they won't let him play
When you have a player like Robertson, you can't waste his talents on the third line with the Pontus Holmberg's of the world. He's not physical and doesn't play enough defense to provide bottom-six minutes, especially if he's not scoring.
All NHL players are talented, but it's up to the teams and coaches to put them in a position to succeed. Robertson is succeeding by all metrics except goals, but he's not being put in a position to score them. That's really all he's good for though - Nick Robertson isn't bring defensive acumen or great backchecking to a third line.
After trading Timothy Liljegren last week, it's safe to say that the team has no issue with trading young talent. I know Liljegren is 25-years-old but in NHL games played, he's closer to a prospect than he is a veteran and the Leafs gave up on him.
Similarily with Robertson, if their not going to use him, the Leafs need to give up on him too.
Fortunately for Robertson, there are plenty of teams that can use more offensive help, but the Leafs don't seem to want to be one of them. Robertson deserves a full season on an NHL roster where he'll play those types of minutes and he'll eventually be effective, but the Leafs appear blind to this.
Robertson has done nothing but make the best of a bad situation, and the Leafs need to either give him the opportunity that he has earned or move on. It's unfair to keep scratching him and playing him with Benoit.