The Toronto Maple Leafs could be on the verge of trading Nick Robertson following his rejection of signing a contract extension and his destination might be the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Adam Proteau of The Hockey News, the Blue Jackets are a suitable destination for Robertson, who is seeking a new opportunity outside of Toronto after becoming a free agent on July 1.
“The Blue Jackets are in the early stages of another major rebuild, and that means there’s still going to be some jumbling within the roster,” Proteau wrote. “If Columbus GM Don Waddell deals veteran forward Boone Jenner, a spot in the Jackets’ top-six would open up, and the pressure on Robertson would not be nearly so onerous in a quiet hockey media market like Ohio.”
It’d make sense for Toronto to try and move Robertson in exchange for a high draft pick and perhaps a decent prospect. Robertson will be 23 years old at the start of the 2024-25 season and should be far from reaching his full potential and pick.
Personally, landing in Columbus would give Robertson his desired fresh start and the Leafs would land a bonafide point-scoring center in return by getting Boone Jenner.
Jenner scored 35 points in 58 games during the 2024 season but reached that figure in three consecutive years scoring 44, 45, and ultimately 35 in the last three seasons playing 59, 68, and 58 games respectively.
Nick Robertson Declines to Re-Sign with Leafs
Robertson informed the Maple Leafs ahead of free agency on July 1 that he did not intend to sign a contract extension with the franchise.
NHL insider Chris Johnston first reported Robertson’s trade request on June 30. Speaking after the first day of free agency, Leafs GM Brad Treliving confirmed, “There was some frustration with Nick,” per TSN’s Mark Masters
Toronto drafted Robertson with the No. 53 overall pick in 2019 but he has struggled to secure a consistent spot in the Maple Leafs lineup since his debut.
Robertson has only played 87 regular-season games since the 2020-21 season (included), scoring 17 goals and assisting on 17 others. During the 2023-24 season, Robertson scored 14 goals and 13 assists in 56 games but failed to net a point in six playoff games.
In an interview with Sportsnet’s Luke Fox published on April 11, Robertson expressed uncertainty about his future with the Leafs.
“It’s my first [negotiation]. I can’t say I’m worried about it now; I don’t even know how this process works. But I haven’t heard anything. I just play. It’s kind of nice knowing that [my agent will deal with it], though. I want to play and let him worry about that,” Robertson said.
Should the Maple Leafs Entertain a Boone Jenner Trade?
From the Maple Leafs’ perspective, acquiring Boone Jenner could be a strategic move to address key needs in their roster while getting rid of the Robertson situation.
Jenner is on the other end of the career spectrum compared to Robertson. The Blue Jackets captain is a 31-year-old veteran forward and a former second-round pick. Columbus drafted Jenner in 2011 and he’s spent 11 years with the franchise scoring 364 points in 715 games.
The veteran center scored 22 goals and assisted 15 more in 58 games during the 2023-24 season. He is a versatile center and can contribute both offensively and defensively. He’d be one of the best possible additions at this point in the offseason.
Additionally, Jenner’s physicality and faceoff prowess could address some of the Leafs’ depth issues, and seems like a perfect fit in new head coach Craig Berube‘s system.
The salary cap is a significant factor in any potential trade, however. Jenner’s current contract, which has a cap hit of $3.75 million, is manageable but would require the Leafs to make adjustments. Entering July 12, the Leafs only have $955,333 in cap space, according to PuckPedia.
All things considered, the Maple Leafs could kill two birds with one stone by sending Robertson away from Toronto while landing a proper depth forward with vast experience in the lineup.
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