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Sportsnet: JD Bunkis 590 "The days of Nick Robertson being a Maple Leaf are numbered"

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I am a little confused why Robertson isn't on the marlies playing 20+ minutes a night ? Thought he could go up or down w/out waivers? Seems poor development letting him ride the pines here?

What am I missing?
 
Ianturnedbull said:
I would argue that Jarnkrok is not meant to play in the top 6 full time. So the spot isn't there for either player. At least not yet.

It's just an opinion though. Maybe Dubas/Keefe want this going forward:

Jarnkrok Matthews Nylander
Robertson Tavares Marner

If I were to bet on this as my top 6 to go deep in the playoffs I would likely lose.
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Your post was so good then you blew it with the last line LOL

Dubas/Keefe wants the best top 6 they can get. Perhaps that's it. Robertson might blossom by the end of the season and become a legit top 6 player. He is suffering from tryhard syndrom right now IMO.
 
If he does ever live up to his potential I don't think it will be in our prime core timeline. We need to nail this before Nylander and Marner get closer to 30 and Tavares age hasn't kicked in yet. Trade while he's still a blue chip and bring in a big fish.

Robertson in his current form is simply not good enough for the depth we require to fix our playoff issues. For instance I've seen literally zero improvement in his erratic game play that usually ends up with him on one knee. We need to consider where we draw the line on patience due to our odds being extremely high to win this season itself.
 
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Never seeing this kid play live, I'm basing my opinions on the play I see on TV. I thought his skillset was a shot and effort and that it. Last nights game they showed an ice level wide view, Robertson was skating back from the TB zone, without the puck, he looked back, picked up his guy, skated with him and angled him off without getting an interface PIM. The TB guy didn't have the puck BTW. Robertson was smart enough to take what could have been a forward that might have been a problem in his own end and in the neutral zone turned the TB player into a non factor in his own end. That my friends is a smart smart hockey player.

I had a MEH! opinion on Robertson before last nights game, if he gets traded , he gets traded, Oh well. Now he has my attention, I'm kinda interested to see how he develops in the Blue and White. That was a legit smart quiet NHL caliber play that does not get noticed but is simply super smart and for Leaf forwards that are not know for this sort of play, is subtilty defensively responsible.
 
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He’s better than Jarnkrok on the JT line. If we’re looking to bolster the team, cut bait with these dead weight cap eaters like Engvall and Jarnkrok, who I’m convinced will invisible to liabilities come playoffs. You bet on heart and a motor, that’s Robertson. Let it breathe, we will be rewarded, rather than passenger place holders.
 
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The perfect time for him to establish a presence on the team. He needs the time on ice, there's an opening on the line-up card. Take it and run. Does he show improvement during the next 15 - 20 games, great. Project his development curve towards the playoffs and make a decision at the TDL.

I like the kid, he hustles. We could use more of that. Where that motor takes him is to be determined. Heck, he's 8th on the team P/60 and tied for 8th in P/GP (with Clifford sneaking in 7th with 1 point in two games).

I'm guessing the team is focused on helping him become more defensively responsible, drilling it every day, and allowing his offensive potential to grow out from that.
 
DarkKnight said:
He’s better than Jarnkrok on the JT line. If we’re looking to bolster the team, cut bait with these dead weight cap eaters like Engvall and Jarnkrok, who I’m convinced will invisible to liabilities come playoffs. You bet on heart and a motor, that’s Robertson. Let it breathe, we will be rewarded, rather than passenger place holders.
Click to expand...

It will depend on any return Leafs might receive. The problem with this team is that the core hasn't won a round but management has to operate as if they are a Cup contender. How do you resolve that without risky moves?

I believe that depth lines need the ability to bring a charge in the playoffs. Theoretically they could have succeeded with two defensive minded lines, but their core have disappeared when the game gets tough.

Therefore they need more support in the form of a heavier cycle,/checking/pest game with the odd goal to provide that constant matchup challenge. If they know the third and fourth lines of the Leafs just play possum, teams aren't on their heels, they coast through a series without intense physical wear and focus exclusively on two or three guys.

Winning games 2-1 in the post season is possible, if we get production from the top and avoid penalties. This hasn't been the case very often. Even when they play right the refs hand a series to say, T.B...

So, Robertson might be a solution, but increasingly I see him unfortunately as one of the guys traded to bring the solution here. I'd prefer some others go before him, but again it's about the return. Lunch is never free.
 
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Honestly, I don't like Nick Robertson's game at all right now. It's just very busy, busy and not really intelligent so I understand why management or the coaching staff don't trust him. Like his upside would look like Cole Caulfield but he's trying to force a Zach Hyman game and really hasn't figured out what his play style should be.

That said, I think the key here is the Leafs should develop the asset and go through the growing pains to get him up to a level where he's an offensive contributor. You drafted the kid, you brought him along quickly hoping to get cheap production. So whatever you thought in 2019, you should be developing in 2022. He's cost controlled for a long time. You don't need to flush him.
 
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Oscar Peterson said:
Why wouldn’t he want to sign?? He was ecstatic to get drafted by the Leafs, Matthews is his idol as a fellow Arizona player, and he knows he’d have an inside track at a top 6 LW job as that’s our biggest need.

Only reason he didn’t sign at the end of last year was because he thought he needed another year of development… which is actually pretty mature of him.
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He also said he wanted to go on another run with U.Minn and win the title.
 
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Way too early to seriously considering shopping Robertson, unless someone comes across with a deal so sweet that you couldn't pass it up. But that's foolish talk.

This kid looks great in flashes, overeager other times and once in a while has a brain cramp - that unnecessary icing was annoying. Very likely this is Toronto media stirring the pot best ignored
 
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Depends who we’d be getting in return, if he’s apart of a deal that sees a top six forward or a top four defenceman in return that has multiple years remaining on their contract, I wouldn’t be against that.
 
Agree with the title.

My guess anywhere from 1 to 3650.

It is always always always about the return isn't it?

I just have not seen enough of him in the NHL to know what he is.

To me he always looks this ' ' far away from being legit.
 
ULF_55 said:
Agree with the title.

My guess anywhere from 1 to 3650.

It is always always always about the return isn't it?

I just have not seen enough of him in the NHL to know what he is.

To me he always looks this ' ' far away from being legit.
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Doubt you get much back for him unless Dallas wants to overpay to reunite the Robertson brothers.

Play him, send him down, trade him, sit him in that order for me.
 
obviously Robertson to Dallas would be interesting....I'd love to see someone like Faksa coming back but with how htey are playing and where he is (2nd line C) probably not realistic....Gurianov might be though
 
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