The Toronto Maple Leafs face yet another summer of Nick Robertson needing a new contract.
Last offseason, Robertson and former GM Brad Treliving hit a stalemate. The two sides could not agree on a new contract, leading the then-RFA to file for salary arbitration.
The parties avoided the unsightly prospect of an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a one-year, $1.825 million contract.
While Robertson had made a very public trade request, the organization decided to keep him. And while word leaked that the Maple Leafs tried to trade the 24-year-old, they were ultimately unsuccessful.
Despite the overall tough circumstances, Nick Robertson quietly had the best year of his career. He notched 16 goals and 32 points in 78 games. Beyond reaching a career-high in goals, the former second-round pick from the 2019 NHL Draft managed to stay healthy the entire season.
And that’s why the Maple Leafs must extend Robertson in 2026. There is no question now about what Toronto has in its once-promising prospect. If given a real chance to play top-six minutes, Robertson could crack 20 goals and potentially 40-plus points.
Those totals would not be unreasonable to achieve, considering he nearly topped 20 goals playing under 15 minutes a night in a predominantly third-line role.
Maple Leafs Should Explore Multi-Year Deal for Nick Robertson
The Maple Leafs should explore a multi-year deal for Nick Robertson this offseason. As it stands, speedy winger won’t be eligible for UFA status until after the 2028-29 season. That’s four years the club could lock him down on a reasonable contract.
It’s also the sort of opportunity that would allow Robertson to prove he’s a solid top-six winger. If he can deliver, the Leafs’ forward could well cash in once he finally reaches UFA status.
So, a four-year deal wouldn’t be completely out of the question. The major issue would be, nonetheless, what the dollar figures would look like.
Considering that the going rate for 20-goal scorers is about $4 million to $5 million, signing Nick Robertson to a four-year deal with an AAV of around $3.5 million to $4 million wouldn’t be entirely bonkers.
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Toronto Would Be Hard-Pressed to Find Replacement Elsewhere
Considering just how thin this year’s UFA market is, the Maple Leafs would be hard-pressed to find a replacement for Robertson elsewhere.
There are many 20-goal wingers out there. And one, former Leaf Bobby McMann, likely won’t sign for under $5 million per season.
That’s why the club would do well to lock up Robertson now. Incumbent GM John Chyaka will likely do his due diligence on the matter. That due diligence would certainly reveal that keeping Robertson is the safer bet.
While the Maple Leafs may be working on something unexpected, the fact of the matter is that keeping Nick Robertson in the fold is preferable to rolling the dice on a big-ticket UFA like Alex Tuch.
At this point, Toronto is most certainly looking at maximizing its cap space by making shrewd, under-the-radar moves. Extending Robertson could well be one of them.
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