Regardless of signing a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Frank Seravalli stories that Nicholas Robertson remains to be more likely to be traded and may not even be a member of coaching camp. The 23-year-old requested a commerce after a contract stalemate on the finish of June, however the two sides reached an settlement to the tune of $875,000. Robertson, considerably fairly, feels as if he’s entitled to extra enjoying time than he was given whereas beneath the jurisdiction of Sheldon Keefe as head coach.
There aren’t many groups that can provide him the top-six alternative he sees himself deserving of, although, which presents a little bit of a problem with regard to the place he’s a possible good match. There’s, in reality, curiosity from different events in buying the disgruntled left winger, so it’s totally potential the Maple Leafs are capable of finding a suitor that may very well be of mutual profit. It’s unlikely Robertson shall be a top-six participant in Toronto given Bobby McMann’s breakout final season, and even when Robertson was the superior expertise between the 2 and was capable of sequester McMann’s alternatives in idea, each side are clearly leaning towards a mutual departure anyway. Let’s look into three groups that would each discover alternatives for Robertson and supply the Maple Leafs with satisfactory fee in return.
Montreal Canadiens
It’d appear to be a foul concept to ship a disgruntled younger skater with a fairly excessive ceiling to arguably your largest rival, but it surely definitely does make sense from a personnel and alternative standpoint. The Canadiens had been lively within the offseason, buying stud aim scorer Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a low worth, indicating they’re trying to pace up their rebuild whereas sustaining belongings. Their first line is ready in stone, with Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Caufield presumably being glued collectively for the foreseeable future. Their second line, at the moment projected as Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, and Laine, has room for enchancment on the left aspect, although. That’s nothing in opposition to Newhook — who proved he’s able to middle-six minutes — however Robertson is probably going an enchancment there the Canadiens’ entrance workplace could be incorrect to disregard. Transferring Newhook to the third line would additionally drastically enhance the staff’s depth-scoring talents.
Associated: 3 Causes to Mood Expectations for the Maple Leafs in 2024-25
The Maple Leafs ought to be trying to enhance on their bottom-six depth and maybe purchase draft capital for utilization on the 2025 Commerce Deadline. In all honesty, the Canadiens’ depth items aren’t something to jot down dwelling about, however they boast a few gamers who ought to be considered enhancements to the Maple Leafs’ fourth-line gamers. Particularly, Joel Armia could be a palatable addition, far surpassing the two-way talents of the likes of Ryan Reaves, who at the moment occupies the fourth-line right-wing place in lineup projections. The 31-year-old Armia ranked within the 57th percentile for offensive targets above substitute (GAR) and within the 96th for defensive GAR, as per Evolving Hockey. If I had been Maple Leafs basic supervisor Brad Treliving, the asking worth for Robertson would begin at Armia and an early-mid draft decide between rounds three and 5.
San Jose Sharks
Issues are dismal in San Jose proper now, with the Sharks having been one of many worst groups within the NHL for a number of seasons with no actual finish in sight. For now, they need to be trying to construct round their younger budding stars in Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund, and Yaroslav Askarov. Stud prospects Quentin Musty and Sam Dickinson will doubtless make NHL appearances this season, however the level is that they’re not near being a Cup contender and will use all of the younger expertise on the planet to construct a aggressive core. Robertson isn’t any exception to this rule, and will simply slot in because the staff’s season-long second-line left-winger behind Eklund, pushing Mikael Granlund to the third line within the course of.
In including Robertson to their roster, the Sharks could be offering Smith — the budding playmaking star and possible second-line centre of the longer term — with a aim scorer who completed among the many league’s finest by way of targets per 60 minutes (Robertson was 78th within the NHL on this metric.) Complementing their doubtlessly lethal 1-2 punch down the center is crucial to their success, and doing so with gamers who match their profile as an awfully younger staff solely furthers the potential success they will discover in a number of years.
As for the acquisition price, once more, there isn’t a lot to search for in San Jose by way of depth expertise, however they definitely have the draft capital to make it work with out offering a roster participant in return. I might say that their 2025 second-round choice ought to be an inexpensive sufficient worth and would give the Maple Leafs one other asset they may use to amass one thing extra substantial on the commerce deadline.
Anaheim Geese
The Anaheim Geese discover themselves in an identical spot because the Sharks, although admittedly their prospect pool — which remains to be nice -— is a little more crushed up than the Sharks they usually doubtless have a little bit of a decrease ceiling at this level. Nonetheless, they boast among the finest younger centre teams within the league with Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish headlining their high two strains. On protection, Owen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Stian Solberg headline their younger core. They’ve obtained Cutter Gauthier, Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, and Beckett Sennecke to construct round on the wings sooner or later, however at the moment have a spot open on the second line at the moment occupied by veteran presence Alex Killorn. Whereas Killorn isn’t going anyplace until he’s traded — he’s coming into the second season of a four-year deal -— he’s doubtless higher suited to third-line duties whereas a younger ahead takes the reigns within the top-six to develop alongside their stud younger centres.
The Maple Leafs don’t essentially want so as to add on protection after drastically bettering their blue line this low season, however Radko Gudas ought to be a reputation on their radar regardless. The powerful, bodily defender has extraordinarily spectacular underlying statistics on each offense and protection. Maybe the 2 sides might come collectively on a multiple-player deal that sees Robertson and Jake McCabe heading to Anaheim in alternate for Radko Gudas and a few draft picks within the third-to-fifth spherical vary.
Maple Leafs Can Improve Depth In Robertson Commerce
With such a weak fourth line, the Maple Leafs ought to be trying to purchase gamers who will present depth scoring talents along with draft capital that they will use in a while as commerce bait. Certain, conserving Robertson would end in some line shuffling which may enhance the bottom-six scoring depth, but when he doesn’t need to be part of the staff, Toronto is best off sending him someplace the place he received’t be a net-negative within the locker room. In the event that they need to achieve success within the postseason, they will’t have gamers who don’t need to be there within the roles they’re assigned and could be a lot better off transport those that don’t align with the staff’s plan to those who will fulfill their wants. Robertson isn’t any exception to this rule, and it might be a win-win eliminating him whereas accruing depth expertise who may also help down the stretch and into the playoffs.