Confirmed with Link: Nick Robertson asks for trade (Update signs 1 year/875k deal with leafs)

[Twine Tickler]

I honestly have no issues letting Nick sit out the season. He has zero leverage in this situation. If the issue is playing time, there has never been a clearer path to get more ice. If the issue was the coaching staff, we have a brand new staff.

The only issue that makes sense to accommodate a move is if he has a soured relationship with someone else on the team. Other than that, I literally couldn't give two f***s if he plays this year or not. He is really only hurting himself, and quite frankly I am not sure where he gets the idea that he's earned this standpoint.

Although there have been times in the past where Nick has been the victim of cap gymnastics, he still has had plenty opportunity to take hold of a permanent role on this team. Each time, he fails to do so. He needs to take responsibility for his own part in where he is currently at and stop playing the victim.

 

[VanW27]

Unplayable TJ Brodie just got a 2x3.75 million deal.

Lilly has had his playoff struggles no doubt. But he's clearly established himself as an NHL player at this point. Whether that's as a top 4 dman or as a good bottom pairing is still TBD, largely due to those playoff struggles.

Edit: I'd also add a good bottom pair dman is more valuable than an undersized 3rd liner shooter who does little else. Which is what Robbie is projecting to become at this point.

 

[francis246]

Top 4 D man on playoff team = fringe D man.

Seriously man, your takes and dislike of everything.

Agreed I’m a hard Liljegren critic but he’s def not fringe. He’s a top 4 guy who needs to absorb contact better. He can play and move a puck and I wish we’d give him more opportunity to show his offensive prowess. But his work behind the net and battles in front needs improvement

 

[ULF_55]

Can you imagine the reaction if this was written about Robertson?

NHL's top nine unsigned RFAs of 2024: Latest rumours, reports

Top-pair defencemen and No. 1 goalies. Bridge candidates and future superstars needing long-term deals — the 2024 class of RFAs offers a bit of everything. Luke Fox has the latest on the top RFAs of 2024.

www.sportsnet.ca

9. Philip Tomasino (Nashville)


When asked about Tomasino’s future in May, coach Andrew Brunette challenged the young forward.

“He needs to grab a little bit of the identity that we’ve created here,” Brunette said, per The Tennessean. “If he can, and if he puts the work in, and he’s relentless, then his skill will take over.

“If, like at different times this year where (Tomasino) wanted the skill first without the work, I’m not sure he has a chance to play for us next year.”

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Most people understand that plenty of players, especially young players get scratched in their careers and it doesn't stop them from fulfilling their potentials. Byfield, Lafreniere, Marco Rossi, Evgenii Dadonov, Denis Gurianov, Shane Wright, Ethan Bear, Rasmus Ristolainen, were all scratched in 22/23 for example.

Liljegren averaged top 4 minutes, on a good team. That's a fact.

Nobody claimed Robertson is a top 6 forward, that's stuff of your own imagination.

I'm using your logic for Robertson. He's a top 6 forward just like Liljegren is a top 4 defender.

Liljegren was scratched in the Bruins series, I'm not referring to a couple of years ago. He averaged a couple of more seconds than the 5th highest D TOI. He's not solidified being top 4 anything except on a bottom feeder like the team that paid Brodie.

I'm sure we'll now pivot to criticizing Keefe even though before he was fired you folks were defending him. Now I know why you tried your best to not talk about this.

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

He was the guy that got scratched for an unplayable TJ Brodie?

With a coach saying he inserted Brodie into the line up to improve the PK. So the Wile E. Coyote type of genius Keefe is he takes out his second best PMD and PP2 defensman who is not even on the PK. Pure genius! The PK got caved in by bad goaltending and a stationary defense. Did you watch that game? Boston simple buzzed into the Toronto zone all night when Rielly was not on the ice. If Keefe had made the right decision to dress Woll to fix the PK then Toronto doesn't go down 3-1 in the series.
Far too many of Keefe's horrific coaching mistakes get blamed on the players. Going to be fun watching NJ go from a fast uptempo offense to a stationary, soft forechecking and hope for a turn over breakaway goal team.

 

[Fogelhund]

I'm using your logic for Robertson. He's a top 6 forward just like Liljegren is a top 4 defender.

wrong

Liljegren was scratched in the Bruins series, I'm not referring to a couple of years ago. He averaged a couple of more seconds than the 5th highest D TOI. He's not solidified being top 4 anything except on a bottom feeder like the team that paid Brodie.

If by a couple of seconds, you mean nearly two minutes in the regular season... sure.

I'm sure we'll now pivot to criticizing Keefe even though before he was fired you folks were defending him. Now I know why you tried your best to not talk about this.

Wrong again.

Seeing as you are wrong about just about everything here, maybe just get this thread back on track to talking about Robertson, so you can just be wrong about one topic at a time?

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

I'm using your logic for Robertson. He's a top 6 forward just like Liljegren is a top 4 defender.

Liljegren was scratched in the Bruins series, I'm not referring to a couple of years ago. He averaged a couple of more seconds than the 5th highest D TOI. He's not solidified being top 4 anything except on a bottom feeder like the team that paid Brodie.

I'm sure we'll now pivot to criticizing Keefe even though before he was fired you folks were defending him. Now I know why you tried your best to not talk about this.

Robertson's number's last year were top 6 forward numbers if you lay that over 80 games. He could become one. Not saying he is.

We will see what Liljegren really is this year. There are no excuses. Berube/Van Ryn's defensive system and deployment should fit Liljegren's skill set like a glove. If he does not have a break out year then its on him. As you said he was 4th in TOI last year regardless of by how many seconds.

 

[notbias]

The Leafs owe Robertson nothing, not taking an L in a trade to accommodate a complete nobody.

He's a good prospect, he isn't a complete nobody.

This isn't a Reaves or Dewar type of player, there is upside with him.

Come to camp, earn your minutes and make another team pony up an asset the Leafs would want otherwise enjoy Europe until your 27.

"We trade all of our picks!"

"One of our best prospects? Treat him terribly and let him rot in Europe"

 

[Dekes For Days]

Liljegren, like Robertson, was removed because of unnecessary lineup tinkering. It appears that they wanted to get Brodie’s experience into the lineup and realized they f***ed up and went right back to Liljegren. You all can keep trying to point to the one game undeservedly scratched and act like it’s meaningful but it’s simply not.

Liljegren isn't a finished product, but this isn't really true. Liljegren was really struggling in the playoffs, and replacing him was justified. We reverted back because we desperately needed transition ability, after making it worse at the deadline. Replacing Robertson, however, was unnecessary lineup tinkering.

 

[LeafSteel]

Can you imagine the reaction if this was written about Robertson?

NHL's top nine unsigned RFAs of 2024: Latest rumours, reports

Top-pair defencemen and No. 1 goalies. Bridge candidates and future superstars needing long-term deals — the 2024 class of RFAs offers a bit of everything. Luke Fox has the latest on the top RFAs of 2024.

www.sportsnet.ca

9. Philip Tomasino (Nashville)


When asked about Tomasino’s future in May, coach Andrew Brunette challenged the young forward.

“He needs to grab a little bit of the identity that we’ve created here,” Brunette said, per The Tennessean. “If he can, and if he puts the work in, and he’s relentless, then his skill will take over.

“If, like at different times this year where (Tomasino) wanted the skill first without the work, I’m not sure he has a chance to play for us next year.”

Read this article and thought the exact same thing.

Kiddie gloves vs a reality check.

 

[notbias]

Can you imagine the reaction if this was written about Robertson?

NHL's top nine unsigned RFAs of 2024: Latest rumours, reports

Top-pair defencemen and No. 1 goalies. Bridge candidates and future superstars needing long-term deals — the 2024 class of RFAs offers a bit of everything. Luke Fox has the latest on the top RFAs of 2024.

www.sportsnet.ca

9. Philip Tomasino (Nashville)


When asked about Tomasino’s future in May, coach Andrew Brunette challenged the young forward.

“He needs to grab a little bit of the identity that we’ve created here,” Brunette said, per The Tennessean. “If he can, and if he puts the work in, and he’s relentless, then his skill will take over.

“If, like at different times this year where (Tomasino) wanted the skill first without the work, I’m not sure he has a chance to play for us next year.”

That would never be said about Robertson because his effort is one of his flaws, he is too relentless on the ice, and off the ice, he is always putting in the work.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832144347854225579

 

[Leaf Fans]

One strange common assumption is that Robo is unaware that we have a new coach and that LW has thinned out - it's pretty basic stuff. He has clearly requested a trade despite this. Does that indicate he has a good reason that isn't public? Who cares.

He honored and completed his ELC and now he wants out. The team has competitive protection to not lose him so young for nothing. So move him out at whatever market will pay - that's the team getting back their value owed.

The idea of forcing a disgruntled employee into our dressing room to see if he can perform well enough to extract a small extra something is bizarre, and without knowing the details, banishing the kid to Europe may have the opposite effect we're looking for.

I agree that forcing him into our dressing room is not the best course of action. I think the team should set their price, continue negotiating and if he chooses Europe that would be his choice without any banishment.

 

[Menzinger]

Tres earlier comments + the number of former NHLer media guys posting about how Robertson has a good opportunity before him suggest the Leafs preference remains to have him as a lineup regular before other moves

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Unplayable TJ Brodie just got a 2x3.75 million deal.

Incredible.

 

[Stephen]

Tres earlier comments + the number of former NHLer media guys posting about how Robertson has a good opportunity before him suggest the Leafs preference remains to have him as a lineup regular before other moves

The way I read it, Tre and the Leafs are playing the role of the parent and using the media soft touch to bring him back in the fold.

 

[Stephen]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832144347854225579

Martin Frk can shoot it too, doesn’t mean he’s an effective NHLer.

 

[Menzinger]

The way I read it, Tre and the Leafs are playing the role of the parent and using the media soft touch to bring him back in the fold.

Yep. The simplest solution to the problem from the teams pov. He can always be moved mid season too.

He likely caves if he realizes the alternative is playing in Europe. But we'll see I suppose

 

[notbias]

Martin Frk can shoot it too, doesn’t mean he’s an effective NHLer.

Frk got more chances than Robertson and produced less.

Robertson outproduced our top 2 LWs last year (using PPG because everyone missed games).

I am not saying he is better than Knies and McMann, but he scored at a higher rate and did it with less.

Robertson is in the top 12 most effective forwards on our roster at the very least.

 

[seanlinden]

The way I read it, Tre and the Leafs are playing the role of the parent and using the media soft touch to bring him back in the fold.

Yeah, it's certainly interesting to see how many of the talking heads are so "lasered in" on the same messaging -- there's an opportunity for Robertson here.

Personally, with the way Keefe managed the roster, I don't think that opportunity is as solid as the messaging indicates, but if Berube buys into the concept of rolling 3 lines, there certainly could be.

A 3rd line of Nick Robertson, Fraser Minten and Mitch Marner could be an incredibly dangerous threat; thereby leavign Domi to play with Matthews and Nylander to play with Tavares.

 

[ULF_55]

Maybe Jets-Leafs deal?
Leafs add how much?

While negotiations with the Winnipeg Jets continue, restricted free agent Cole Perfetti has returned to the city to skate and train with teammates, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports.
Dreger adds that Perfetti also intends on representing the Winnipeg Jets at next weeks NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.

Perfetti is coming off of a breakout season in 2023-24, in which he scored 19 goals with 38 points in 71 games. The 22-year-old's season ended on a sour note as he dressed in just one of Winnipeg's five playoff games.

Prior to his strong campaign this year, the 10th overall pick in 2020 saw limited playing time due to injuries in each of the previous two seasons.

“I think Cole is just scratching the surface,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said last month. “Unfortunately for him, he had a couple of injuries in his 19- and 20-year-old years, but last year he had a great year. We’re looking forward to good things with him moving forward with our core.
“He’s been around for a couple of years now, he’s one of the guys you start integrating within that group and that’s the kind of team that we have here right now. We had a great year last year, but I think we need some of our younger guys to continue to take steps and move forward for us to grow.”
In 140 career games with the Jets, Perfetti has 29 goals and 75 points.

 

[LeafEgo]

I don’t think it worth capitulating to Nick Robertson and putting the precedent out there that any player with zero leverage can just make a stink and the organization will have to accommodate him no matter what. That is weak stuff.

I personally don’t want Robertson back but I’m also not ok with the idea we have to take anything back just so he can go somewhere and “prove the Leafs wrong.” The team can apply the pressure of time, lost wages, lost opportunity to get his cooperation, whatever management feels is best for the team.

It’s a relationship Robertson turned into an adversarial one. There’s no need to accommodate him, we’re not obligated to.

Cooperation from him to do what?

Theres nothing to capitulate to and theres no precedent to set. He doesn't want to play in Toronto (no contractual obligation to do so) and as a result we don't want his services. The CBA affords us the right to recoup on his value, so now we just need to go and do that. It shouldn't be very difficult, but if for some reason it is then he has to wait until it can be done.

 

[Stephen]

Cooperation from him to do what?

Theres nothing to capitulate to and theres no precedent to set. He doesn't want to play in Toronto (no contractual obligation to do so) and as a result we don't want his services. The CBA affords us the right to recoup on his value, so now we just need to go and do that. It shouldn't be very difficult, but if for some reason it is then he has to wait until it can be done.

Problem is he’s not valuable and not that good and pulled a big boy demand. Jake DeBrusk asked for a trade out of Boston in 2022. Didn’t materialize till 2024 when he hit free agency. DeBrusk is a way more important player and he wasn’t accommodated.

 

[ULF_55]

Problem is he’s not valuable and not that good and pulled a big boy demand. Jake DeBrusk asked for a trade out of Boston in 2022. Didn’t materialize till 2024 when he hit free agency. DeBrusk is a way more important player and he wasn’t accommodated.

No Leafs fan would support him, but a Robertson fan might.

Team > Player