Nick Robertson Trade: No Room Left for the Winger on Toronto Maple Leafs' Line-up with Two Forwards Incoming

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Chris Gerics
November 1, 2024 (3:31 PM)

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Nick Robertson's spot in the lineup isn't set in stone, and with the return of Calle Jarnkrok and Connor Dewar: Are the Maple Leafs ready to trade the young forward?

After sitting out the last two games, Nick Robertson found himself as a last-minute replacement for Ryan Reaves against the Seattle Kraken.

It was a surprise change but Robertson ended up playing a solid game. While he wasn't impactful offensively, he played hard and continually fought for position and possession whenever he was on the ice. He looked comfortable with Max Domi, and if Toronto could acquire a true 3C, it could be a massive spark for the offense.

But it was another night without a goal, and while Robertson looked decent on the ice, it may not be a permanent fixture. Toronto has a lot of decision-making to do in the coming days, and with the returns of Calle Jarnkrok and Connor Dewar imminent, the team needs to be shuffled around.

The Case For A Nick Robertson Trade

Simply put, there's not enough space and Robertson's ice-cold start paid him no favors for keeping a concrete place in the lineup. From scoring five goals in the preseason to basically disappearing for the first 10, Craig Berube had no choice but to give him a mental reset. Returning against Seattle was a positive, but was it enough?

Toronto could definitely benefit from trading Robertson, as not only do they have Connor Dewar and Calle Jarnkrok returning (neither man offers the same offensive upside as Robertson, but both play much more defined roles) but Toronto also knows what they're getting in both players.

Too much of a wild card right now, Toronto can't risk playing Robertson and possibly being a step behind defensively, when they have players who fit the needs Toronto has. Dewar adds scoring, and Jarnkrok adds defensive versatility and penalty killing; so far Robertson has done neither, so Toronto should use his potential as a bargaining chip. Already looking to trade newly acquired defenseman Matt Benning, they could package Robertson with him in order to recoup some higher picks or a third-line center who could anchor a Domi/McMann wing duo.

The Case To Keep Nick Robertson

Toronto has a bad, bad history with letting people go before they have fully blossomed, or pushed out talent in favor of veteran role-players. While that's fine and dandy, you can't leave Robertson off the ice too long. Yes, he's been inconsistent, but if last season was any indication he still has lots of time to pick things up.

It's only partially Robertson's fault, as his rotation of linemates hasn't given him enough time to find any consistency. He played with Max Domi on Thursday and looked like he was playing with a bit more pep in his step. Knowing he has such a dominant playmaker in Domi alongside him incentivizes Robertson to shoot more and take more chances. He's dirt cheap right now and still has time to develop.

Mitch Marner's camp wants his minutes cut, and while William Nylander could fill that gap, perhaps giving Robertson more time to figure it out is the key. The kid needs to play at some point, and giving him a vote of no confidence after being given such a small chance is very disrespectful to a player of Robertson's ilk.

What Will Toronto End Up Doing?

Already making one trade, it would not be surprising to see Brad Treliving call up other teams to see if they want to inquire about Robertson. Wanting to recoup as many assets as possible, Robertson could be used to bring in some big pieces whether it be draft capital or a prospect which is a steal for only $875,000.

Toronto should showcase Robertson more to see what he can bring, and if his chemistry with Domi can grow into something special. If anything else, they should throw him on the ice so other teams can take a look and see if they can make something out of the forward after the Maple Leafs couldn't.