It did not come as much of a surprise to many today when 22-year-old forward Nick Robertson requested a trade from the Maple Leafs. After all, his relationship with the team has been strained as he feels like he hasn't been given the opportunity he deserves up until this point.
That being said, it sounds like Brad Treliving is banking on Robertson being with the team this season. In his response to Robertson's trade request, he noted that the young forward still has plenty of opportunity with the team this season. With the departure of Tyler Bertuzzi, there could be an opening in the team's top six.
Many Leafs fans were disappointed to hear that Robertson has requested a trade. Like Treliving, they recognize that he still has a lot of skill. He looks like he has the toolset to be a regular NHL player if he's given the chance.
Robertson got into 56 games with the Leafs last season and smashed his career highs, scoring 14 goals and 27 points. However, he averaged just over 11 minutes of ice time per game. This is likely part of the reason why he is so frustrated with the team. He was not an every-day player and when he did get into the lineup, he was given extremely sheltered minutes. Perhaps on another team he would get a chance to truly shine. At this point his future seems rather uncertain, so be sure to continue to follow this story to see where he plays next.
