NHL Insider Believes the Maple Leafs Have Only One Option When it Comes to Nick Robertson

Forward Nicholas Robertson and the Toronto Maple Leafs have had a relatively rocky relationship over the last few years, which even forced Robertson into requesting a trade last summer after a difficult 2023-24 season.

The Maple Leafs stood firm and did not grant his request and eventually signed him to a one-year deal, which brings us back to nearly the same spot as we were in last summer.

Robertson filed for salary arbitration last week, so he's not eligible for offer sheets, and arbitration meetings are scheduled to be held at some point between July 20th and August 4th.

GM Brad Treliving did manage to address some of his forward depth by acquiring Nicolas Roy and Matias Maccelli through trades, and signing Michael Pezzetta as a free agent, but a lot more is needed, and perhaps that's where Robertson can slide back into the picture.

NHL insider Chris Johnston believes that there's essentially just one course of action this summer for both sides and that's the Leafs bringing the 24-year-old back into the fold.

What a new deal will look like remains to be seen, but you'd have to think Robertson wants a little more security rather than another one-year deal. A 3-year bridge deal could be beneficial for both sides as it would finally allow Robertson to showcase his mettle for a prolonged period of time.

With an increased role up for grabs, we could potentially see a resurgent Robertson gracing the ice surface in 2025-26, but the Maple Leafs have to first come to terms on a new deal with the forward, and avoiding arbitration might be the best case scenario here.