With a one-year deal in place, the Maple Leafs winger will now have the opportunity to perform.
The 23-year-old Robertson signed a contract worth $875,000 US on Wednesday, after having earlier in the off-season requested a trade. The deal was revealed by the Leafs on Tuesday morning.
Robertson will have a chance when the Leafs play at the Ford Performance Centre on September 19. Without disparaging Bobby McMann or Matthew Knies, the Leafs have openings on the left side. Robertson will get an opportunity that he believed might have come from somewhere under new coach Craig Berube. He could be a more potent offensive weapon than Connor Dewar or Pontus Holmberg, for example.
Back in July, Leafs general manager Brad Treliving stated, “We view Nick as an excellent player.” And Nick has a fantastic opportunity here. He must do well on the field for us.
Puckpedia.com estimates that the Leafs have just $400,833 in cap space, so even with the Robertson signing giving Treliving little breathing room under the $88 million salary limit, there is still talk that defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and winger Max Pacioretty will be inked. Over the last two seasons, injuries have restricted 35-year-old Pacorietty to 53 appearances, when he managed to score seven goals for both Carolina and Washington.
It’s unclear if Pacioretty would receive more from the Leafs than a professional tryout during camp. If that’s how the veteran’s journey begins, and the Leafs resolve their cap problems, a deal may be on the horizon.
As the summer wore on, Robertson, a restricted free agent, had no clout.
It would have been completely unnecessary for Robertson to miss any time at camp, and the Leafs were not under any pressure to move him.
Robertson will once more be a restricted free agent after his new contract ends and be qualified for arbitration in the summer.
Robertson’s progress in his professional hockey career has been halted by injuries.
Though he scored 14 goals and 13 assists in 56 games played the previous season, he felt he wasn’t given enough of a chance in what ended up being Sheldon Keefe’s last season as the Leafs’ coach.
Following Christmas in 2023–24, Robertson was scratched five times before making his way back into the starting lineup, scoring four of those games.
Robertson, a second-round selection by Toronto in 2019, has 17 goals and 17 assists in 87 career games with the Leafs.
Although Hakanpaa would help the Leafs penalty kill, he was sidelined for Dallas’ entire season after suffering a knee injury on March 16. Hakanpaa was rumored to be signing with the Leafs when free agency opened in July, but Toronto has not made an official statement.
It is probable that defenseman Conor Timmins would be waived if Hakanpaa is signed.
The forward Steven Lorentz will be in camp on a PTO, the Leafs said last week.
After leading the London Knights to victory in the Ontario Hockey League the previous season, youngster Easton Cowan will also be trying to make an impression on the wing. Cowan will play for the Leafs or the Knights in 2024–25 as he is not permitted to play for the Toronto Marlies.
