Maple Leafs should keep trade target that's linked to Penguins, Blue Jackets

The Toronto Maple Leafs started the 2025-26 NHL campaign with mixed results, with a record of 3-2-1 after six games.

As the season progresses, trade rumors continue to arise and it is said that Nick Robertson could be traded soon. After six games, Robertson, 24, has registered only one assist.

The Athletic's Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston addressed his situation in a recent article and consider that specifically two teams could be interested in acquiring him: the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"Finding an interested suitor willing to pay a price that makes sense for the Maple Leafs hasn’t been easy," wrote Siegel and Johnston. "Two teams that might eventually fit the bill: Pittsburgh and Columbus."

As for the Penguins, Robertson certainly fits the profile of a young player with NHL experience that GM Kyle Dubas has been looking for. As for the Blue Jackets, it is more complicated, as there isn't much room for a player of his characteristics.

Why the Maple Leafs must hold onto Nick Robertson

That said, Montreal could still be a good fit for Robertson, even if he isn't a first or second line player.

As a third-line winger whose tasks include puck support and shooting, the 24-year-old player could provide speed in transition and a shooting threat on secondary rushes. He wouldn't need many minutes to generate danger if he were lined up with a center who retrieves and distributes the puck.

With a cap hit of $1.825 million and being RFA, he is a low-risk asset. By letting him go, an asset with upside and immediate depth would be lost.

Of course, if he stays, coach Craig Berube would have to adjust his role. Robertson could receive situational opportunities, such as a shift after a power play, offensive zone starts, minutes with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on long changes, to take advantage of his shooting without changing the defensive structure.

In the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons he recorded 27 and 22 points, respectively, for a combined 49 points over the two years, with around 10-11 minutes per game. His numbers suggest that in a limited role he can sustain secondary production.

The only notable risk is that Robertson's impact has dropped when he is asked to be creative. If he stays in Toronto, he would have to maintain consistency without taking penalties and improve his defensive reading, so as not to lose Berube's confidence.