Maple Leafs Rumors: One Expected Path Forward With Robertson This Offseason

There have been a lot of rumors surrounding Nick Robertson this offseason and even prior based on his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is a RFA and hasn't signed a new contract yet, but Chris Johnston said that "at this point in time, I think the Leafs are probably going to hold onto Nick Robertson."

This makes the most sense for the Maple Leafs right now. The better free agents have come and went even though there are still middle-6 or depth pieces remaining. Acquiring help through a trade is of course still an option, but that costs more than just throwing money at a player or re-signing a young forward they already have.

In terms of depth on the team that can come in and out of the lineup, Robertson is all the Maple Leafs have. Ryan Reaves isn't a viable option anymore, and beyond that, the team brought in Michael Pezzetta, Vinni Lettieri, and Travis Boyd.

Robertson is 23 years old and just played his second "full" season in the NHL, getting into 69 games. He scored 15 goals and recorded 22 points while averaging 12 minutes per game. He did add a bit more to his game though as Robertson blocked 34 shots and made 79 hits. The young forward averaged a minute per game on the second power-play unit and had a 52 expected goals for %. These are all positives and worth keeping around since the youth in the organization isn't great.

It's tough to imagine Robertson getting in over 70 games with the Maple Leafs next season due to the group of everyday players on the team. If he can approach 20 goals and 35+ points, then he will have earned more games and proved me wrong. Injuries may also play a part in him getting into the most games in a season in his career as Calle Jarnkrok has a tough time staying healthy and so does Auston Matthews. There are only three players in the Maple Leafs' forward group that played 80 or more games last season, so a bridge deal and an improvement could back up the team's confidence in Robertson if he sticks around as five of the forwards are heading into the final year of their contracts.