Right before the start of the 2023-24 season, Nick Robertson was one of the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ final roster cuts. From there, he was sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) to play for the Toronto Marlies. Although this was a frustrating development for Robertson, he has done very well so far this season. As a result, the young forward was called up to the Maple Leafs’ roster today (Nov. 6), and he is now a must-watch player. Let’s go over a few specific reasons why bringing up Roberton to the NHL roster is the right call for the Maple Leafs and why it could end up benefitting both the team and the player.
Robertson Has Dominated With Marlies
Instead of being deflated by his demotion to the Marlies, Robertson has responded to it with immense determination. The 22-year-old has been nothing short of excellent for the Marlies this season, as he has five goals to go along with 11 points in just nine games. Therefore, this fact alone naturally played a major role in his promotion to the big league club.
After multiple seasons with significant injuries, seeing this kind of production early on from Robertson is quite encouraging. He was once viewed as the Maple Leafs’ top prospect for a reason, and we are once again seeing signs of his potential in this campaign with the Marlies. As a result, this call-up is entirely warranted, and now Robertson’s next objective will be to translate his strong play over to the NHL.
Robertson Could Give Maple Leafs’ Offence Needed Spark
Seeing the Maple Leafs bring up a skilled forward like Robertson from the AHL right now is entirely understandable. The Maple Leafs’ depth scoring has been quiet all season. After the Core Four, Calle Jarnkrok leads Maple Leafs forwards with just five points. With that, notable offseason signings Tyler Bertuzzi (three points in 11 games) and Max Domi (zero goal and four points in 11 games) have been underwhelming thus far. As for the remainder of their bottom six, four players have less than two points, with Ryan Reaves and Pontus Holmberg having zero each.
Needless to say, besides their stars, the Maple Leafs’ offence has been weak, and change is needed. Now, the hope is that Robertson can give them a much-needed spark. The potential for Robertson to be an impactful NHL player is there, but it hasn’t happened yet. He did, however, have decent moments last season with the Maple Leafs, posting two goals and five points in 15 games. Yet, the real question now is if he can take a big leap forward and cement himself a permanent spot in their lineup in the process.
At one time, many believed that Robertson was well on his way to being an impactful NHL forward, but injuries have naturally slowed down his development. With the club’s offence being so poor thus far, what’s the real harm in taking a look at Robertson? How could he make the Maple Leafs’ current bottom-six scoring situation any worse?
This Is a Grand Opportunity for Robertson
At the end of the day, this is a great opportunity for Robertson to show the Maple Leafs that he belongs. The majority of their forward group is struggling right now, and there are jobs to compete for because of it. If Robertson is put into the lineup and contributes immediately, it will help his chances of avoiding another demotion.
It will be interesting to see how well Robertson performs with the Maple Leafs from here. It is apparent that they need offence badly, so here’s to hoping that he becomes a valuable piece that gives them just that.
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