3 potential trade destinations for Maple Leafs’ Nick Robertson

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson has quickly become a prime trade candidate this offseason. The waiting game is in full swing to see if general manager Brad Treliving finds a deal he’s happy with, or if Robertson heads into next season under even more complicated circumstances.

The 23-year-old restricted free-agent winger is currently the only Maple Leaf on the active roster without a contract for next season. Back on July 5 he elected to head to salary arbitration, and while there’s certainly a chance the two sides can make something work in the coming days, and meet in the middle per se, the trade winds have also picked up in a major way.

While there’s been no trade request of any sort to this point, the previously disgruntled Robertson had an up-and-down year with head coach Craig Berube behind the bench. He appeared in 69 regular season games and just three Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording 16 combined goals and 24 points. The 5-foot-9 forward was utilized in more of a third-line checking role, and to give Robertson credit, he began to play more physically and be a hound on pucks, but frankly, he’d be best served among the first two lines of a team, playing with elite forwards with offensive instincts on a regular basis.

Robertson’s a shooter, he’s shown throughout the early stages of his career that his release is world class. However, last season, Berube challenged him to be a pest on the ice. It included being strong on the forecheck and along the walls, and try to use his body to have an impact on the game. At times, it worked. Robertson played some of his best hockey of last season alongside Max Domi and Bobby McMann, and his 79 hits shattered a previous career high of 34. Robertson’s game changed, but now there’s certainly potential his jersey colours could be too.

With the Maple Leafs adding Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua via trades this offseason, all of McMann, Steven Lorentz, and Scott Laughton still under contract, and top prospect Easton Cowan on the way, Robertson has quickly become expendable. Here’s three teams to keep an eye on should trade talks advance:

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets need help scoring on the wing. They lost Nik Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes in free agency, and enter next season with serious question marks down the left side of their lineup. The asking price wouldn’t be catastrophic for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, so if there’s interest in Winnipeg, there could be something materializing over the next few weeks.

While the Maple Leafs acquired Henry Thrun recently from the San Jose Sharks, it’d be interesting to see if Brad Treliving had any interest in 6-foot-7 physical defenceman Logan Stanley in return. The Jets have over $18 million in cap space left to work with, so they are far from finished making moves this offseason.

Pittsburgh Penguins

With the Penguins having Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust involved in trade talks this summer, if Kyle Dubas is open to dealing with his former club, Robertson seems like the type of player he’d ask for in the package. He’s still young with lots of upside, he’s a familiar face, someone who can score with ease and certainly produce in a more consistent situation.

The Maple Leafs should be trying to land Rust. He’s a perfect replacement for Mitch Marner on the right side of the Leafs’ top six, and if the deal winds up getting finalized, don’t be surprised to see Robertson among the trade package. The Penguins are looking to transition with a younger core, and Dubas has interest in players with untapped potential. Robertson’s never been given a fair shot in Toronto, and it would be quite the story if he finds a better situation with Dubas in Pittsburgh.

Nashville Predators

The Predators had a very hard time scoring goals last season, so bad that defenceman Luke Schenn called the struggles something he’d never seen before, just to be traded away from the team weeks later. Nashville GM Barry Trotz made a bunch of moves last summer and they didn’t pay off the first year, and now the team’s hoping for a bounce back.

Adding Robertson would give them a winger capable of playing among their top nine. The Preds have $10 million in cap space so they can easily afford to add the pesky winger. Trotz has a boat load of draft picks at his disposal for 2026, so there’s lots to choose from for Treliving and company.

One interesting trade to consider would be Calle Jarnkrok and Robertson for Michael Bunting. Bunting has one year left on his deal at $4.5 million, and his playing style would be fun to watch with Berube behind the bench. Bunting was very popular among the Leafs’ dressing room in the past, and would be welcomed back with open arms by captain, and close friend Auston Matthews.

Keep an eye on the trade market over the course of the next few weeks. The Maple Leafs have been one of the busiest teams in the league making transactions, and if there’s one more coming before the start of next season, it’s very likely going to involve Robertson in some capacity.