RFA F Nicholas Robertson avoids arbitration, signs with Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson have reportedly reached a settlement ahead of their arbitration case that was scheduled for Sunday.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, both sides agreed to a contract with a $1.825 million average annual value.

The Leafs confirmed it is a one-yeal deal. When a player elects for salary arbitration, the team can choose whether it would be a one or two-year deal, except in the case when the second year eats into the eligibility of unrestricted fee agency. Toronto could have opted for two years in Robertson's case.

According to Puckpedia.com, it's a one-year deal, which reduced the available cap space on Toronto's books to $1,107,222 based on a roster of 24 players.

Robertson was the last of the 11 player-elected salary arbitration cases in the NHL to be settled, thereby avoiding a hearing. On Friday, Friedman reported that the Leafs submitted comparables with an ask of $2.25 million while the team came in with $1.2 million. Had the case not been settled ahead of the hearing, an arbitrator would have had the final say on Robertson's compensation for the 2025-26 season.

The deal gives Robertson a massive $950,000 raise from his 2024-25 salary. The player signed a one-year, $875,000 deal in September after a summer that included a trade request away from Toronto.

Robertson established career highs in goals (15) and games (69) last season but was limited to just three of Toronto's 13 playoff games due to lineup decisions.

With star forward Mitch Marner departing the Leafs for the Vegas Golden Knights this summer, players like Robertson will be counted on to fill the void Marner leaves behind on a by-committee basis.

Drafted by the Leafs in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, Robertson has 32 goals and 24 assists in 156 career games spread over five seasons.