Will Nick Robertson Take the Alternative That's There for him With the Toronto Maple Leafs?

TSN: Chris Johnston on Nick Robertson’s standing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, that there’s a possibility for him, however will he re-sign with the crew?

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Jamie McLennan: “I wish to return to Nick Robertson. The place do you assume these talks are, or the place do you assume they’ll find yourself? In a scenario the place, I don’t, do you imagine, he’s a younger participant, 22, I feel he had what, 13, 14 targets final 12 months?

Jeff O’Neill: “Effectively, he bought unhappy a bunch of instances, and each time he got here again he scored.”

McLennan: “I do know, however what like, okay, so, what’s he? Is he, I don’t know what he’s as a participant but. Is he a 9, a top-nine? Is he a top-six? Does he imagine? The place do you assume he suits?

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After which, clearly, with each greenback counting, with them being tight towards the cap, like, not like they will provide him an enormous elevate right here. So, you recognize, the place do you assume this all ends? Or, you recognize, the place do you assume that he can match? As a result of if they’re bringing different guys, they, there is perhaps guys that push him out of the lineup.

Johnston: “For certain. And you recognize what’s distinctive right here, this doesn’t appear to be, you recognize, associated to cash. It’s not as if there’s a breakdown in negotiations.

I imply, this commerce request was made, you recognize, after he obtained his, you recognize, you recognize, after they retained his rights as an RFA and a (inaudible), and so, you recognize, it’s not about cash. I feel it’s been in regards to the alternative.

And, you recognize, for these of us that don’t have any feelings concerned on this, simply simply watching from the surface, you recognize, I feel you sit right here on the impartial occasion and say, Okay, that is the primary 12 months you’re not going to require waivers. Sorry, you’ll require waivers to go to Marlies, so that you’re probably not going to go on waivers. You’re gonna be within the NHL.

In case you had a difficulty together with your taking part in time, possibly that was linked to your head coach. Effectively the Leafs modified head coaches and Craig Berube is in cost now.

They usually’re simply not as deep, fairly frankly, on paper, as they’ve been in years passed by. I imply, I feel it’s fairly clear to see, Matthew Knies I feel will likely be a top-six choice for them on left wing. Nobody else you’ll be able to say for certain. I imply, possibly Bobby McMann, coming off an harm, can fill that position. Perhaps it’s a Robertson. Perhaps it’s somebody who isn’t but signed, or a participant that finally ends up coming in on tryout.

However level is, there’s fairly clearly a possibility there. And not less than up to now, Nick Robertson has been unwilling to wish to proceed and signal on with the Leafs.

And so, the place does it find yourself? I imply, I feel it relies upon how strongly he believes in his convictions. Does he, is he keen to sit down out, you recognize, days, weeks, months, to show his level, to attempt to pressure organizations hand.

I imply, in the end, that is completely different, even than many, a few years in the past, the place the (William) Nylander – Leafs rise up, which, you recognize, standoff, which was about cash. Nylander was a reasonably confirmed piece at that time. Clearly had room to develop, however was an vital member of the crew.

I imply, I feel nobody can say with certainty what Nick Robertson is for the Leafs. I imply, fairly encouraging to see the variety of targets he scored final 12 months, 14 of them, 13 and even energy. However, you recognize, can he do it over a time period? May he deal with extra minutes? Can he be in additional of a prime-time position?

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I imply, I feel he’s bought to nonetheless present it. He’s bought to show it. And the one method to try this is, you recognize, in the end, by taking part in someplace. And so you recognize, he’s going to have nowhere to play, not less than in North America, if he continues to stay, you recognize, agency to his his want to be traded and the leafs don’t commerce him as a result of they management his rights so long as he’s a restrictive free agent.