Is There A Spot On This Team For Robertson?

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Need this guy to score so he at least raises his trade value.

 

[mobilus]

He needs to be on the left side.

 

[ITM]

Well Alex Steeves looks like he's put in his dues. I think a spell for A. Nylander wouldn't hurt either.

Trade Robertson. Demote Holmberg.

I'd even kick tires on Pierre Engvall (with retained money of course).

I don't think its too early say that something in our chemistry needs a jolt.

 

[robertmac43]

I'd even kick tires on Pierre Engvall (with retained money of course).

To do what?

His whole issue is his game doesn't really convert well to the bottom 6 and he can't compete with top 6 players.

Plus he is on the books until 29/30.... That is so long from now.

 

[Maple Leaf]

To do what?

His whole issue is his game doesn't really convert well to the bottom 6 and he can't compete with top 6 players.

Plus he is on the books until 29/30.... That is so long from now.

Yea but Engvall is fun to be around which is what really matters for the Leafs

 

[ULF_55]

Clayton Keller is 5'10", 175 lbs.
Nic Robertson is 5'9", 178 lbs.

There are quite a few players their size who are effective, Bratt, Pointe, ... it isn't size.

It's ability.

 

[sxvnert]

Both Robertson and Holmberg need to be upgraded with proper third line players with size.

 

[Stephen]

Clayton Keller is 5'10", 175 lbs.
Nic Robertson is 5'9", 178 lbs.

There are quite a few players their size who are effective, Bratt, Pointe, ... it isn't size.

It's ability.

I think it’s hockey intelligence too.

 

[Buds17]

I still hope so. It goes without saying that he'll have to show more than he currently has though.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Clayton Keller is 5'10", 175 lbs.
Nic Robertson is 5'9", 178 lbs.

There are quite a few players their size who are effective, Bratt, Pointe, ... it isn't size.

It's ability.

If he could stay upright for a whole shift that would help. We used to play the David Clarkson drinking game for a bit (he fell all the time) until we realized the next stop was the ER. If we did it with Robby I think it might be worse. This kid needs to go to SJ or somewhere to ply his trade without media overlooking everything he does.

 

[Dreakmur]

I think it’s hockey intelligence too.

Small and dumb is a hard hole to dig out of…

 

[ULF_55]

Small and dumb is a hard hole to dig out of…

I think that is harsh.

Small and lacking in hockey smarts may be more appropriate. There are other small players who appear to be physically able to play in traffic. Perhaps it is also strength, or know how to leverage position.

He has a good motor, and a shot, and I think he can think the game within a narrow corridor.

Perhaps his coaches relied on his shot too much too early in his development?

 

[Leafidelity]

Its hard to be a shooter when you lack the ability to find open ice

Getting a clean shot away seems like an uphill battle for him, let alone scoring.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

I think it’s hockey intelligence too.

He spent all his junior career overpowering goalies with his shot and didn't bother rounding out his game at all. Not saying you can't learn, but Nicky gets manhandled so badly that it doesn't really seem to matter how much effort he exerts, he doesn't accomplish anything.

 

[seanlinden]

I feel like I've been on this train since the 2020 playoffs... but as long as you've got Matthews, Marner, and Nylander in the top 6, there's really no spot for Nick Robertson.

McMann-Domi-Robertson SHOULD, by all reasonable logic, be producing. You've got a guy to dig for the smaller players. You've got a guy that is a pure playmaker, and you've got a guy who can absolutely rifle the puck.

Only being able to command 11 minutes of ice in his past 3 outings is not enough. Only putting 3 shots on goal in those 33 minutes, is simply not enough. I feel like the way Keefe wanted the team to play, that trio would produce... the way Berube has them playing, they're just not built for it.

At the end of the day, the third line does need some form of injection, but I just have the overwhelming feeling that Nick Robertson isn't it.

Maybe it's a real 3rd line centre... somebody that can either be a rock for a shutdown line, or somebody that plays a 2-way game which could be complimented by one of the leafs highly skilled wingers.

 

[Dreakmur]

McMann-Domi-Robertson SHOULD, by all reasonable logic, be producing. You've got a guy to dig for the smaller players. You've got a guy that is a pure playmaker, and you've got a guy who can absolutely rifle the puck.

Hockey games are not NHL2024. Hockey doesn't work like that.

 

[Stephen]

I feel like I've been on this train since the 2020 playoffs... but as long as you've got Matthews, Marner, and Nylander in the top 6, there's really no spot for Nick Robertson.

McMann-Domi-Robertson SHOULD, by all reasonable logic, be producing. You've got a guy to dig for the smaller players. You've got a guy that is a pure playmaker, and you've got a guy who can absolutely rifle the puck.

Only being able to command 11 minutes of ice in his past 3 outings is not enough. Only putting 3 shots on goal in those 33 minutes, is simply not enough. I feel like the way Keefe wanted the team to play, that trio would produce... the way Berube has them playing, they're just not built for it.

At the end of the day, the third line does need some form of injection, but I just have the overwhelming feeling that Nick Robertson isn't it.

Maybe it's a real 3rd line centre... somebody that can either be a rock for a shutdown line, or somebody that plays a 2-way game which could be complimented by one of the leafs highly skilled wingers.

There’s absolutely a spot for a breakout young scoring player on the Leafs. If Robertson came up like a Wyatt Johnston or a Seth Jarvis and played like that, was that productive and fit into a game plan. Who would hold him back? He just brings a unique set of skills and limitations and can’t quite figure out the mix.

 

[Dreakmur]

There’s absolutely a spot for a breakout young scoring player on the Leafs. If Robertson came up like a Wyatt Johnston or a Seth Jarvis and played like that, was that productive and fit into a game plan. Who would hold him back? He just brings a unique set of skills and limitations and can’t quite figure out the mix.

Exactly.

Nobody ever lost ice time because they played too good....

 

[ITM]

To do what?

His whole issue is his game doesn't really convert well to the bottom 6 and he can't compete with top 6 players.

Plus he is on the books until 29/30.... That is so long from now.

He's 28 and isn't 29 until May. With money retained I'd hold on to him until he's 33. With his natural physical abilities, so long as he's engaged, he's a valuable bottom six player.

And to the bold: To be an obvious upgrade to our bottom six of course. Which is saying something when a healthy scratch off the Islanders looks like he'd fit our needs.

 

[Fogelhund]

Of all the nights we could use Robertson's scoring.. this is the night. Do something.

 

[robertmac43]

He's 28 and isn't 29 until May. With money retained I'd hold on to him until he's 33. With his natural physical abilities, so long as he's engaged, he's a valuable bottom six player.

And to the bold: To be an obvious upgrade to our bottom six of course. Which is saying something when a healthy scratch off the Islanders looks like he'd fit our needs.

He isn't valuable for the bottom 6 though, thats been his biggest knock since he entered the league.

Below is the quote from Lou after he was waived...

I think that what happened, simplistically, is that he's a top six, top nine forward, and Maxim Tsyplakov earned his way into that role, and basically, we have to make the best decisions for the best lineup we can put together," Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said on Sunday morning. "It's as simple as that. It's not that he did anything wrong, but he basically lost the job at this point. He is not a bottom-six player.

He doesn't play like a bottom 6 players so I don't know what he would bring to our bottom 6..

 

[ITM]

He isn't valuable for the bottom 6 though, thats been his biggest knock since he entered the league.

Below is the quote from Lou after he was waived...


He doesn't play like a bottom 6 players so I don't know what he would bring to our bottom 6..

My understanding, albeit not as apparently sophisticated as Lou Lamoriello's is that bottom 6 includes the third line. Per your quote, Lou said: "I think that what happened, simplistically, is that he's a top six, top nine forward, and..."

Are we in agreement that the third line includes bottom six players?

When Engvall is fully engaged, he appears to produce at that third line clip. My description includes spot duty as needed, on the third line, on the PK, and the rare instance (i.e. Coach's choice) on the second line, but primarily as a "bottom six" player.

Engvall isn't a hill I'd die on, but I'd be curious enough to kick tires on him and reacquire him if enough dominoes fell into place.

I also think Lou's spinning his value a little, not that Lou would do such a thing.

 

[Leafs4Life77]

He's 28 and isn't 29 until May. With money retained I'd hold on to him until he's 33. With his natural physical abilities, so long as he's engaged, he's a valuable bottom six player.

And to the bold: To be an obvious upgrade to our bottom six of course. Which is saying something when a healthy scratch off the Islanders looks like he'd fit our needs.

4 points in 17 career playoff games with the Leafs (two of which I believe were on an empty net in the same game).

Every year we struggle to score in the Playoffs and Engvall is not the answer.

 

[Maple Leaf]

My understanding, albeit not as apparently sophisticated as Lou Lamoriello's is that bottom 6 includes the third line. Per your quote, Lou said: "I think that what happened, simplistically, is that he's a top six, top nine forward, and..."

Are we in agreement that the third line includes bottom six players?

When Engvall is fully engaged, he appears to produce at that third line clip. My description includes spot duty as needed, on the third line, on the PK, and the rare instance (i.e. Coach's choice) on the second line, but primarily as a "bottom six" player.

Engvall isn't a hill I'd die on, but I'd be curious enough to kick tires on him and reacquire him if enough dominoes fell into place.

I also think Lou's spinning his value a little, not that Lou would do such a thing.

at max retention, i would vtake england + 1st + 2nd for fture cnsideratins

 

[ITM]

4 points in 17 career playoff games with the Leafs (two of which I believe were on an empty net in the same game).

Every year we struggle to score in the Playoffs and Engvall is not the answer.

Yep. Never said he was. Context of the inclusion is to say, in passing, minimal effort, etc, etc...we need help in our bottom six that's not being provided by a number of pieces we have there at present.

at max retention, i would vtake england + 1st + 2nd for fture cnsideratins

Well with what's going on in the country, I wouldn't blame you.