Three Ideal Trade Destinations for Nick Robertson
Nick Robertson could be on the move for Toronto so we look at three potential trade destinations for the Maple Leafs winger.
A lot of questions surround whether or not Nick Robertson is going to stay a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs or if he's out the door. He already requested a trade once, and while he re-signed with Toronto, his production slipped mightily and it's hard to justify holding onto him.
With that being said, who are some teams that could be interested in acquiring the polarizing winger?
Here are three potential trade destinations for Nick Robertson that could be possible options.
Option 1 : Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a team looking for potential impact talent to surround around their young stars, and forwards are somewhere the team is looking to get an improvement in.
The Blackhawks already have a lot of former Leafs players in their lineup, including Tyler Bertuzzi, TJ Brodie, Ilya Mikheyev, Nick Foligno, Petr Mrazek & Joey Anderson.
Chicago is at the top of teams in the NHL with the most players to have previously suited up for Toronto (6), and could be looking to add lucky number seven with Robertson.
Chicago is looking for a young forward who can add some potential offense, with Lukas Reichel the one main winger with youth and upside on the main roster.
Many of their potential top wings in Frank Nazar and Nick Lardis are still a bit away from being potential full-time NHLers, the Blackhawks could use some youthful impact now.
One player who has been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a few years is former NHL MVP Taylor Hall.
The 33-year-old with just 5 goals and 10 points in 22 games for Chicago this season, having been left out the lineup as a healthy scratch earlier in the campaign. Hall is in the final year of a four-year contract with the Blackhawks, currently making $6M yearly, according to PuckPedia. Toronto could get a decent return back for retaining part of Hall's salary, perhaps in the form of a draft pick or a prospect.
The Leafs currently have just five picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. Chicago has two fourth round picks in 2025.
If they were to do a Robertson deal for a pick, the Blackhawks could deal one of those picks to Toronto, similar to the recent trade done by the Pittsburgh Penguins to acquire Philip Tomasino from the Nashville Predators.
Option 2 : Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are another team looking to improve their identity, but have dealt with finding some bottom-six offensive options, and Toronto has a long history of making moves with Anaheim.
The Ducks have a few players that they'd like to see more from on a consistent basis, including Trevor Zegras & Cutter Gauthier, the former of whom is being discussed in potential trade talks and mock deals.
The Leafs will probably not be looking at a player like Zegras which doesn't fit their need for an experienced veteran winger who can be impactful and will come at a fairly expensive cost in terms of both trade pieces and a future contract.
One potential deal that could make sense is trading Robertson, along with Pontus Holmberg in a deal to acquire Frank Vatrano. After scoring 37 goals last season with Anaheim, smashing a career high in 2024, Vatrano has regressed to 4 goals and 9 points in 21 games.
Vatrano is in the final year of a $3.65M contract with Anaheim, something that could work out salary wise if both sides can figure out the numbers and return.
Option 3 : San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks, like the previous two teams, are recently players who have been in the league's basement with a lack of NHL ready options to push them closer to a possible playoff team.
Robertson doesn't move the needle heavily, at least for this season likely, but he could be someone San Jose takes a chance on to add some offense in their lineup.
San Jose could use an offensive boost in their bottom-six and Robertson is a viable and cost-friendly option to bolster the Sharks attack. The only question mark is the return.
The Sharks don't have a strong draft offering, with just five picks in 2025, they'll likely be wanting to add draft picks rather than selling, meaning a trade in which San Jose buys likely involves a prospect or player rather than a pick.
One name that may entice the Leafs is the Sharks' 2023 third-rounder Brandon Svoboda. The Boston University Center is a big, two-way forward who has both strong puck handling along with a physical pro game; he is also a possible selection for Team USA for the World Juniors in a fourth line role.
His offensive versatility, size, and potential to grow into a Matthew Knies-esque player makes him an enticing option to swap Robertson with.
FAQ: Three Potential Trade Destinations For Nick Robertson
Q1: What are the 3 teams Toronto could trade Nick Robertson to?
A1: Three potential trade destinations for Nick Robertson to end up are Chicago, Anaheim, and San Jose. All three teams are rebuilding and can use a potential future star in Robertson to help build around.
Q2: Why does Toronto want to trade Nick Robertson?
A2: Toronto wants to trade Nick Robertson due to the inconsistency in his production and can use his potential in order to acquire picks to draft a different forward, or use it as part of another trade package.
In closing, Toronto can trade Nick Robertson to a variety of interested parties who will no doubt want to try and capitalize on the potential of the young forward, and could be a big piece of Toronto getting the third-line center they desperately need.
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