Has Nick Robertson played himself out of trade contention?

For any young NHL forward looking to make it as a full-time regular in the league, they need to play a 200-foot game, prioritize attention to details without the puck, and engage physically whenever possible. Nick Robertson has managed to check all of these boxes this season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs should be keeping him past the 2025 NHL trade deadline.

Robertson’s had a whirlwind start to his career in Toronto. Untimely injuries haunted him in the first couple of seasons, and while he’s managed to stay healthy this year, early on this season his play without the puck was worrying head coach Craig Berube. Robertson has since bought into being a complete player for the Maple Leafs, and as a 22-year-old winger who has no problems putting the puck in the back of the net, GM Brad Treliving should keep Robertson past the trade deadline. He’s shown the ability to be coachable, he’s shown strides in his two-way game, and with an elite shot, and the Leafs desperate for a ‘new wave’ of forward talent, Robertson has showed his value to Toronto’s management brass.

The former second-round pick has posted 11 goals and 17 points in 53 games this season, playing just over 12 minutes per game. While he’s not a defensive specialist to the point Berube utilizes Robertson as a penalty killer, what has happened is the fact Robertson’s stepped up his physicality in a major way these last couple of months, and he’s become tremendously more engaged to do the little things to help his team win.

Last season, Robertson finished the year appearing in 56 games, scoring 14 goals, while only landing 34 hits, and blocking 24 shots. This season through 53 games, Robertson’s scoring is slightly down, but he’s already registered 51 hits, while blocking 26 shots. Since the Maple Leafs returned from the 4 Nations Face-Off, Robertson has collected at least one hit in each of the six games, while also tallying five points along the way. You can see it each shift, his effort level is where it needs to be, and his attention to details without the puck is top of mind for the young forward. It’s a great sign for a Leafs team who has to play a certain way under Berube to be effective.

There’s also the financial side of the business to consider here. Robertson’s owns a $875,000 cap hit, he’s a restricted free agent at season’s end, and his next deal will likely be a bridge deal, at a very reasonable cap hit of around $2-3 million dollars. Treliving has a significant chunk of his cap space tied into five players on the Maple Leafs’ roster, and with that not changing anytime soon, especially with the probability of Mitch Marner and John Tavares re-signing this summer, plus Matthew Knies is in line for a huge raise on what’s expected to be a six-to-eight year extension, Treliving needs to complement the roster with effective depth forwards who aren’t expensive.

Robertson recently admitted he felt his game was evolving. He’s also reportedly rescinded his previous trade request, and sees himself as a long-term fit in Toronto. And while the Leafs do have some forward prospects in the pipeline, Treliving knows more about what Robertson can develop into at this point, than he does about either one of Fraser Minten or Easton Cowan. Considering both Minten and Cowan could fetch a much larger return than Robertson just based solely on their potential, the play before the trade deadline should be to keep Robertson in Toronto, and if there’s a ‘splash’ to be made to acquire a top-six centre, Treliving should be willing to include Minten or Cowan to get it done, especially if there’s significant salary being retained in the deal.

Add in the fact the Leafs are in win-now mode with a legitimate shot at peaking at the right time this spring, and taking home the Stanley Cup, Treliving should be open to moving one of his top prospects, who at this point still have a long list of questions attached to their games, and their NHL careers. The Maple Leafs know what they have in Robertson, and don’t have time to wait another few seasons for both Minten and Cowan to find their footing in the league.

The Maple Leafs have a core piece in Robertson, something they couldn’t say three months ago. His game has developed throughout this season, he’s become a different player under Berube’s guidance, and he should be kept in Toronto past this season’s trade deadline. If he isn’t, Treliving and company will regret their decision in the years to come.