NHL Insider Reveals What It Will Cost the Maple Leafs to Extend Young RFA Winger
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Trusted NHL Insider Nick Kypreos has revealed what it's going to cost the Maple Leafs to reach an agreement with RFA forward Nick Robertson.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' off-season has been busy to date, and while their top pending free agents have dominated the press, Nick Robertson hasn't generated a lot of buzz. However, based a new report, it might be time to begin thinking about his next deal.
Robertson's tenure with the Maple Leafs has been rocky at best, as he just hasn't been able to make in-roads at the NHL level. He's done a tremendous job at the AHL level, but injuries and inconsistent play have cost him playing time and even a longer-term contract.
Last summer, it was reported that Robertson had requested a trade, but the Leafs were able to sign him to a one-year deal and kee0 him on the roster. He ended up playing in a career-high 69 games, while also chipping in a career-best 15 goals, but it still wasn't enough to secure a lineup spot in the playoffs.
While those numbers don't generally pop off the page, it's a big deal for Robertson, and it might lead him into getting a heftier AAV on his next deal, as reported by Nick Kypreos.
"Leafs winger Nick Robertson once again finds himself without a contract for next season. The 23-year-old restricted free agent is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this summer. Some have his value projected at $1.5 million for next season, but scoring 14 and 15 goals the last two seasons, respectively, could see him awarded as much as $2 million."
$1.5M-$2M is a large increase from the $875,000 cap hit he held this season. The Leafs still need to get all their ducks in a row with Matthew Knies and make their final decisions on Mitch Marner and John Tavares before deciding on whether or not to extend Robertson at nearly double the AAV from last season.
If his contract demands do increase, especially to $2 million per season, the Maple Leafs should look towards the trade market and gauge his value as he could be a solid asset to add to a much larger trade -- perhaps to a team in need of salary cap relief.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 6 | 5647 ANSWERS NHL Insider Reveals What It Will Cost the Maple Leafs to Extend Young RFA Winger What should the Maple Leafs do with Nicholas Robertson if his contract demands increase to $2 million AAV? | ||
| Trade him | 3702 | 65.6 % |
| Sign him | 1313 | 23.3 % |
| Hold out and see if his demands decrease | 632 | 11.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
