The Toronto Maple Leafs roster is coming into focus. Max Domi appears to be the third wheel on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Easton Cowan is making his mark as an NHLer on a fourth line that provides secondary scoring.
However, there are a few high-priced forwards who are on the outside looking in. Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf, and Nick Robertson are all poised to be trade bait or waiver fodder. For Robertson, a new team has emerged as a candidate to acquire the young forward.
Nick Robertson Connected to a New Team by Insider
Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects recently published a report regarding the Maple Leafs. His social media post revealed some new details about potential suitors for the young Robertson.
“Nick Robertson remains a name to watch on the trade front,” Robinson wrote on September 29. “Hearing multiple Western Conference teams have shown interest in the Leafs winger, including San Jose.”
Robertson, 24, was drafted by the Maple Leafs in 2019, 53rd overall. The 5-foot-9, 178 lb forward recorded 22 points in 69 games with Toronto last season. He averaged 12 minutes a game, which is a career high.
The San Jose Sharks are a fit for the young forward, which makes sense. They are a rebuilding team that has added numerous veterans over the last two summers. Adding another young gun to the mix doesn’t hurt.
The Western Conference team also has the salary cap space to make something happen. According to PuckPedia, the Sharks have $9.12 million in available cap space.
Maple Leafs Forward Previously Connected to Eastern Conference Team
GettyNick Robertson against the Pittsburgh Penguins
In early August, 32 Thoughts Podcast host and NHL insider Elliotte Friedman linked Robertson with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I had some people ask me about the possibility of Nick Robertson and Pittsburgh,” Friedman said on the August 3rd episode. “Obviously, Kyle Dubas knows him. They got the arbitration settled on Saturday ( at $1.825 million. They’ve got to clear some bodies there; they’ve got a lot of them.”
The Maple Leafs have more NHL contracts than they can shake a stick at. It’s essential to have extra personnel available, as injuries are inevitable for every team. However, it is almost a guarantee that they will lose a player to waivers if they don’t execute a trade. At least if they trade a player, they can recoup an asset to offset the loss.
Robertson Could be a Hot Commodity
GettyMaple Leafs could still trade this forward.
Robertson possesses skills and a strong work ethic that make him a highly desirable asset for many teams. After a recent preseason victory, head coach Craig Berube highlighted some of those attributes.
“He’s a worker…that can shoot the puck in the net, and that’s what he did tonight,” Berube said after the 4-3 preseason win a week ago. “I thought Nick worked extremely hard, shot pucks…he played his game tonight. He was highly competitive.”
His coach is not the only one to recognize his talents. Sportsnet analyst Justin Bourne discussed what makes Robertson a player that most teams would have interest in.
“Robertson is a guy who is going to get 20-25 goals in the league,” Justin Bourne said on the panel the on September 21 . “I believe he can do that, and it’s a pretty one-dimensional thing that he does – but that is a trait that every team in the NHL values.”
Scoring goals in the NHL is one of the hardest things to do. If that is something that Robertson can have a knack for, he will have a long career.
This would be a low-risk, high-reward gamble for the Sharks, or whichever team ultimately acquires Robertson.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Maple Leafs Surging Forward Linked to Surprising New Team appeared first on Heavy Sports.