Nick Robertson calls his scratch-and-score reputation a ‘blessing in disguise’

One of the best stories of the year so far for the Toronto Maple Leafs has been the emergence of Nick Robertson. He currently sits top-five on the team in goals with 5, and has 10 points in his last 12 games, working his way to a top-six role.

On Thursday’s edition of Leafs Morning Take, Nick Alberga sat down with Nick Robertson for an exclusive Nick-on-Nick interview. Robertson shared he’s happy with his consistency so far, as he continues to push himself to keep contributing to the team.

“In my pro career, obviously my most consistent production-wise and playing-wise, so I’m happy with it,” he said. “The ice time is huge to build your confidence, and obviously with the opportunities given I’ve been trying to make the most of it every night.”

Since joining the Maple Leafs, Robertson has developed a reputation as a ‘Scratch and Score’ player, often sitting as a healthy scratch one night, then coming back and scoring the next game. This season, the 24-year-old was scratched for the first time on October 24th after just one assist through his first seven games. The following night, he slotted back into the lineup and got his first goal of the year, and hasn’t been scratched since.

Robertson shared with Alberga that he’s well aware of his reputation as a scratch and score player, and said ultimately it comes down to taking advantage of every opportunity he gets to play.

“I’m a veteran when it comes to that stuff, I know the whole deal,” he said, smiling. “Honestly, I think it’s kind of a blessing in disguise for me to not be complacent. Playing a lot more minutes doesn’t guarantee the next night, or the one after that. And I think I haven’t gotten to that point where I’ve proven myself to be a top-six player every single game, so I’ve got to earn it.”