Pittsburgh Penguins Eye Maple Leaf as Trade Target

Approaching the beginning of training camp, the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to appear in trade rumours. The latest now sees them linked to Nicholas Robertson.

Elliotte Friedman: I had a couple people ask me about the possibility of Nick Robertson and Pittsburgh; Kyle Dubas knows him; they got the arbitration settled; Leafs have to clear some bodies – 32 Thoughts Podcast (8/3)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) August 4, 2025

Rumour: As tweeted out by top insider Elliotte Friedman, the Penguins could have some interest in the Toronto Maple Leafs forward.

Analysis: The winger extended with Toronto a week ago, signing a one-year contract with a value of $1.9 million. The Leafs are up against the cap and hope to make additional moves. This has made Robertson, David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok players the Leafs are willing to part ways with to make room for other talent.

Career with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Hailing from California, Nick Robertson was the 53^rd overall pick in the 2019 draft, selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The younger brother of superstar Jason Robertson, Nick has shown his own ability to score goals and produce high-octane offence himself. Robertson spent his junior years with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League. With the Petes, Robertson scored 97 goals and 134 points in 162 games. Robertson has shown excellence in the American Hockey League as well. In 60 AHL games, Robertson produced 27 goals and 53 points against tougher competition.

Nick Roberton’s time in the NHL has been far more tumultuous than his junior journey. Standing at 5’9″, he’s an undersized winger that can struggle at the defensive aspects of the game. His strength lies in his offence, where he’s shown to be a streaky scorer. In 56 games through 2023-24, Robertson scored 14 goals and 27 points. The next year, he scored 15 goals and 22 points in 69 games. This stat line has landed Roberson in a tough position in Toronto. His defensive play has been unreliable at best, and Robertson can be very streaky, often going games at a time without production, leading to healthy scratches. This continued into the playoffs. Robertson only suited up in three of the Leafs’ 13 playoff games this past spring. He scored a goal and an assist in these games, while continuing his defensive struggles.

A Reclamation Trade Target for the Pittsburgh Penguins

Nick Robertson’s value for Pittsburgh lies in his potential. The forward has struggled to stay in the Leaf’s lineup, but shows impressive goal-scoring abilities when given the chance to play. This makes for an interesting situation, as Robertson is only 23 years old and could feasibly develop his game past the point it’s currently at. A Robertson trade presents an opportunity for the Pittsburgh Penguins to buy low on a potential middle-six-point producer. He’s not likely to cost a significant amount either, due to his name being in trade talks multiple times before. A disgruntled asset like Robertson could even be a good throw-in piece in a potentially larger deal. The Penguins have been shopping Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, and Erik Karlsson. All three players are assets the Leafs would have tangible interest in. A package that includes Robertson, along with a high draft pick and prospect, could be highly attractive to general manager Kyle Dubas.

Finding a fit in the lineup for Robertson is a much harder task. Although Pittsburgh has a weak team overall, wingers are one area where the team has NHL-level talent in spades. Veterans like Rust, Rakell, Danton Heinen, and Anthony Mantha are all top-nine level forwards on the roster. Past them, Robertson would also have to compete with younger top-nine talent trying to cement an NHL roster spot for themselves. The main players in this category would be Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, and Philip Tomasino. Fortunately, there have been a lot of rumours swirling around the names Rust and Rakell. Their departures would open up spots for Robertson and younger talent to play with veterans like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

A Potential Opportunity to Buy Low

The idea of trading for Nick Robertson is rooted in the idea that his value is lower than the potential he brings to an organization. Robertson feels like a forward primed and ready for the right opportunity to break out into a solid middle-six contributor. He’s existed in trade rumours for well over a year now, disgruntled with his usage in Toronto. Whether he’s moved to Pittsburgh or another team, expect Nicholas Robertson to play with a chip on his shoulder this coming season.