“I WANT TO GO”: Maple Leafs top star admits he wants to leave
Toronto Maple Leafs player Nick Robertson remains dubious about his future with the team, according to a new report from NHL source Chris Johnston.
According to TSN’s Johnston, the 22-year-old restricted free agent has not altered his mind about wanting to be traded away from Toronto, despite the fact that the organization has an opening on the left wing that may be ideal for him.
“I think, obviously, at this stage of the summer, the Leafs are still working through what happens with Nick Robertson, but there’s a pretty clear path for him to be part of the mix at left wing,” Johnston said during a First Up interview with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo. “But at this stage, Nick Robertson doesn’t seem inclined to sign in Toronto and is sticking to the idea that he’d like to play somewhere else.”
Although not vital, this development will undoubtedly hamper the Maple Leafs’ offseason plans as the team approaches the start of the 2024-25 season still needing to put the finishing touches on the squad.
The Leafs are seeking at left-wing reinforcements, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman originally reported, and losing Robertson would be detrimental.
Johnston underlined that addressing Robertson’s status is critical for the Leafs before making any attempts to address the left-wing position, mostly due to the financial implications of having or not having the current Leaf on the franchise’s plans.
Robertson, who requested a trade in early July, has had a rocky start to his NHL career, plagued by injuries and uneven play.
The Leafs selected Robertson with the 53rd choice in the 2019 NHL draft, however he has only played 87 regular-season games for the Leafs in four seasons, scoring 17 goals and 17 assists.
