Very rarely in sports do you move on from a player you just signed to a new deal. However, that may well be the case soon in Toronto as the future of Nicholas Robertson in Leafs land continues to be a question mark.
The 23 year old forward has struggled to establish himself as an everyday role player in Toronto. On a squad where ice time is at a premium, Roberston has not reached his potential yet but there is still time.
With that being said, that time may not be spent in Toronto. With the Leafs still looking to make another big move this summer, they may need to make some more cap sacrifices in order to have the facilities neccesary to make a splash. Elliotte Friedman suggested on “32 Thoughts” a Robertson trade may be made relatively soon. As it stands the Leafs have less than $2 million in cap space, which is not enough to make any significant moves. Shedding Nick Robertson’s contract would open close to another $2 million in cap space.
This would create enough room for the Maple Leafs to potentially go after the top remaining forward left in free agency: Jack Roslovic. The 28 year old forward is still a UFA and has reportedly received offers from KHL clubs. Jack will likely stay in the NHL but teams will have to make a decision on him soon as the season approaches.
Last year with the Carolina Hurricanes, Roslovic recorded 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points in 80 games. He would be an upgrade over Nick Robertson for the Leafs in the forward core, who registered 15 goals and 7 assists for 22 points in 69 games last year.
Nevertheless it is still a tough decision for the Leafs to make as they believe Robertson still has untapped potential. But if they do decide to move on from him, Jack Roslovic would be another nice depth addition on the offensive front as they look to continue replacing Mitch Marners lost production.
