After holding steady on demands to be traded, Nick Robertson might be changing his tune.
It appears Nick Robertson may remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs for another season after asking for a trade earlier this summer.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, who appeared on TSN 1050's First Up on Monday morning, the 22-year-old restricted free agent and the Maple Leafs will get a contract done before training camp.
"I believe that they're going to get something done, that Nick Robertson's likely going to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was a process, and that's a word we always use around free agents at certain times of the year related to contracts. Robertson has his own personal reasons. Whether it was under the guidance of Sheldon Keefe, or maybe he just felt like he wasn't the right fit, that he was being miscast, or he wasn't being given opportunity in Toronto," Dreger reported.
"I know that he had conversations with Craig Berube, the new coach of the Leafs, and Berube assured him that, look, 'Take a look at our left side, man.' Like there's nothing but opportunity in this lineup with the holes that they have there. And I know that Berube assured Nick Robertson that he'd be given a chance. They like the skillset, as long as the hockey gods smile down on him and he can stay healthy, why wouldn't you want to fight for a spot in the top-six, top-nine?"
Since being drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, Robertson has only appeared in 87 NHL games due to numerous injuries and being unable to snag a full-time spot on the NHL roster.
The winger played 56 games with Toronto last season, scoring 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points. He averaged 11:23 of ice time throughout that span in a limited role within the roster.
As Dreger reported, Toronto's left-wing depth is incredibly thin, with the likes of Matthew Knies, Bobby McMann, Connor Dewar, and potentially, Pontus Holmberg playing a role. Robertson likely recognized that — in his discussions with Berube — there's a good chance he could play a large role with the Maple Leafs ahead of this season.
And along with that, Dreger says there wasn't much of a market around the NHL for Robertson's services.
"I think they're going to get something done. I think that this has been managed properly. Yeah, it's been a slow play. I'm sure that Treliving, because he's involved in every trade-related conversation, has explored what sort of interest there is in Nick Robertson across the league, and frankly, I don't think there is a ton of interest," Dreger said.
"That's not to say he's not a good player, or won't be a really good player. But it sounds like he's leaning more to recognizing what he has in Toronto and making the best of the situation. That's probably going to sort itself out in the days ahead here."
As an RFA, Robertson has until Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. ET to sign a contract with Toronto. If a deal isn't done by then, the forward will miss out on the entire NHL season. But as Dreger reports, that's unlikely to happen, and Robertson will be at training camp, which begins in just over a week.
