Nick Robertson looking to build off momentum of solid showing vs. Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson isn’t resting on his laurels after impressing in the preseason opening win over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

He was arguably the best player on the Leafs in the game off the back of a stellar showing that saw him generate plenty of scoring chances with a team-leading three shots. Robertson took a feed from David Kampf in the first period and ripped the puck past Linus Ullmark to extend the lead to 2-0.

Robertson told reporters after the game that he was pleased with how his team was able to grind out the given the challenges of only a few days to prepare coming off training camp, though he knows there’s still some work to be done defensively.

“ I think it was all right. I think getting the rust off, you wanna remember what the system was,” he said. “It’s the same thing as last year. You get thinking about it more, and it’s the first game. You just gotta get comfortable, and I’m sure as these games go on, you get more comfortable, get more rest, and feel pretty good.”

Being in a position of having to prove himself is nothing new to Robertson, who was in the same position a year ago. He had to prove himself with a strong showing throughout the preseason, and it was enough to help him stand out amongst a competitive camp.

Because this circumstance is familiar to Robertson, he knows what has to be done to ensure he is once again where he wants to be: a permanent spot in the NHL.

“ I’ve been in a situation, I think, every training camp I’ve been in here. Training camp is not something to take lightly for me,” he said. “It’s something to build on and to prove myself. But I’m not trying to overthink things; it’s up to Chief and what he sees guys fit.  I just want to go out and put a good performance and start building on some good momentum here in these games.”

If the goal was for him to make a strong impression on head coach Craig Berube and leave no doubt of where he should be, then Robertson made a big leap forward towards making that happen. Berube was complimentary of a lot of the team after the game, but he was particularly impressed with the NHL veterans, including Robertson as far as his drive and offensive instincts.

Berube knows that Robertson can shoot the puck and be a factor on offence, but he liked what he saw out of the player regarding the little details.

“He is a worker, right? And he can shoot the puck in the net,” he said. “That is what he did tonight. Nick worked extremely hard. He shot pucks. That is what he does. He played his game tonight. He was highly competitive.”

There’s still plenty of runway left for Robertson between now and the end of camp, and he knows it. But Sunday’s performance was a good first step towards punching his ticket into the opening night lineup and beyond.