It’s now or never for Nick Robertson on the Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson finds himself in a position that has become all too familiar for him over the last few years.

While it is clear that he possesses the talent to play in the NHL due to his exceptional shot and offensive abilities, his lacklustre defensive play has held him back from becoming an everyday player. It has been this way under multiple general managers and coaches, and yet his spot on the Leafs remains as unclear as ever before.

It’s no wonder that trade rumours surrounding Robertson have once again popped up to begin the season. NHL Insider Chris Johnston reported on September 9th that the Leafs were open to moving the forward, noting that they were open-minded to the return given their bare cupboard of tradable assets. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on Insider Trading on October 14th that Brad Treliving recently fielded calls from teams that were interested in acquiring him. And the noise regarding where things stand for him long-term doesn’t appear to be subsiding anytime soon.

The idea of Robertson’s name appearing in trade rumours is not surprising, and one would argue that it has almost become a yearly tradition to this point. Even when he was able to stay in the lineup for more than a few weeks, it never felt like a sure thing that he would be able to keep it that way because of his streakiness and the fact that he needs to be sheltered to get effective use out of him. It has gotten to the point where Robertson has to constantly prove himself to justify his spot on the team, and it has not been enough to silence the noise for good.

What makes it different this time around is that he is more or less a finished product and likely won’t get much better than where he is now, as well as the emergence of better options such as Easton Cowan. While it is still early in the season, Cowan has shown the ability to play comfortably in both the top-six and bottom-six, being just as effective alongside Scott Laughton as he was beside Auston Matthews. That’s because while he is a talented forward who can produce when he’s on his game, the finer details are what make him stand out from a Robertson.

Cowan is hard on pucks, playing direct and physical, while not being afraid to grind it out on both ends of the ice. Robertson can play with some tenacity, but it’s not often enough to entrust him with consistent defensive assignments and penalty killing reps. It also doesn’t help that when the puck is in his zone, there have been times when the Leafs got hemmed in and allowed the opposition to generate sustained zone time and quality looks. That’s not to suggest he doesn’t have it in him to be more responsible defensively, but it hasn’t been demonstrated enough to show that he is trending towards putting it all together.

Teams that are not quite ready to contend can afford to exercise patience with a younger player still trying to play the right way and becoming a mainstay in the NHL. But the Leafs are one of those teams with aspirations of the Stanley Cup, so they don’t have that grace period available to them. That means a younger player will have to knock the coaching staff’s socks off to force his way onto the team like Cowan has done. The Leafs still control Robertson’s rights at the conclusion of the season as he will be an RFA, but there comes a point where even a team loses patience with a player in his situation and has to decide what direction to go with them in their plans.

This isn’t a case of a player who can’t find it in him to be motivated because he has been in this situation for a few years now and has been able to find a way to earn a spot on the opening night lineup for two straight years. But a strong preseason doesn’t equal a stable job in the NHL: that has to carry over into the regular season and down the stretch when the games matter more. As of now, the jury is still out on whether he has what it takes to be able to lock down a spot and leave no doubts on where he should be.

It is certainly frustrating for parts of Leafs Nation who are believers in what he can provide, but one can only imagine how Robertson must feel knowing he is once again mired in trade rumours while trying to secure a permanent spot on the team for the umpteenth time. But there will soon come a point where going through this same song and dance will get tiring for all parties involved, so it’s up to Robertson to play well if he wants the noise about his future to go away forever.

The reality is that Robertson’s spot on the team isn’t a sure thing, and he is right now in a make-or-break situation in regards to his time in Toronto. He either plays lights out while taking a positive step towards being a more responsible defensive player, or he is on the outside looking in for good. Regardless of what outcome ultimately emerges, there is no denying that questions surrounding his future are not going away anytime soon.