The stalemate is finally over between the Toronto Maple Leafs and forward Nick Robertson.
The team announced on Tuesday morning that they have come to terms with the soon-to-be 23-year-old left winger on a one-year, $875K contract.
This comes after months of reports that Robertson had requested a trade out of Toronto, looking for a fresh start somewhere else. Something had to give eventually, and it looks like the opportunity in Toronto was worth sticking around for one more season.
Wide open left wing
The key here for the Leafs is that the team lacks depth up their left side. Without Robertson, the team would have been looking at a crooked forward group with an in-season acquisition. The team is still linked to veteran forward Max Pacioretty, but it’s obvious the Leafs wanted to retain one of their top young forwards in addition to adding experience.
Under Sheldon Keefe, Robertson never truly seemed to find his footing in the lineup. You can blame it on the coach, or the player, but in reality, it was something that just never seemed to mesh. With a new coach at the helm this season, the team clearly sold Robertson on starting fresh with Craig Berube and leaving the door wide open for him to seize the opportunity.
The Leafs aren’t done at all with making moves this week, as Darren Dreger reported after the signing:
Lots more to come before the start of training camp in Leafs nation.
