Islanders & Maple Leafs Should Swap Wahlstrom & Robertson

In addition to his offense, Robertson would be a great fit. His speed would mesh well with Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat on the top line, adding a fresh face that is talented and has a high upside. Given Robertson finished with 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games at just over 11 minutes per game, he could boom into a great top-line winger with the Islanders. Since he will be just 23 years old at the start of next season, he still has time to develop.

Wahlstrom Needs a New Oppurtunity

Wahlstrom has not worked out with the Islanders, and he needs a new opportunity elsewhere. He has struggled to earn a consistent spot in the lineup due to his poor skating and lack of fit. While his elite shot would be of great use to the Islanders’ top six, the team could not prioritize his development due to the consistent use of all four offensive lines. His talent is still clear, but he needs a new team to play for next season.

Wahlstrom’s fit in Toronto would be a team looking to have a player with offensive upside who can also play a physical game in their bottom six. He can hit and score, play from both sides of the ice, and generate offense from around the net. He is still just 23 years old, so he is not a bust yet, and he has had success at the NHL level before. In his rookie season, he scored 12 goals in 44 games with just over 12 minutes per game of ice time. Since then, he has undergone three coaching changes and torn his ACL. While his value is less than Robertson’s, it makes sense for the Maple Leafs to entertain the idea of swapping the two former prospects if they also received value elsewhere.

What Would the Value Be?

Given Robertson’s vast injury history and the Maple Leafs looking to make changes, they could attempt to sell high on Robertson’s strong season. He has played just one NHL season of more than 15 games, so trading him for assets that could be used elsewhere makes sense. While his value is hard to gauge, it would likely come in around a second-round pick. Given the Islanders possess the 50th overall pick in the 2024 Draft, and this draft class appears a bit weaker than others, Wahlstrom would be enough to offset the value.

If the Maple Leafs could not find a way to flip the draft pick into a valuable player elsewhere, they could also look to acquire the Islanders’ second-round selection in the 2025 Draft. This could be used in a trade at a later date, such as the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. If a draft pick is not of interest, players such as Ruslan Iskhakov, Samuel Bolduc, and Robin Salo could be used in a trade. Of course, all three of those players differ in value, but a deal would ultimately be reached with a similar value of Robertson for a second-round draft pick and another small asset.

A deal between these two teams will ultimately come down to what each front office wants. It is not great to make trades just for the sake of shaking up a roster, but sometimes change is necessary, and now might be the time for both teams to make a move. Neither youngster is likely to reach their full potential in their current situation, so swapping positions could benefit both players and teams.