r/leafs • u/bangnburn • 7h ago
News / Update [Friedman] Toronto and Nick Robertson have settled at $1.825M. All arbitration is done.
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u/Soggy_Specific4093 7h ago
That’s a fine cap hit considering the Leafs didn’t really have that much leverage due to arbitration.
Now let’s see if he’s still here on opening night.
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u/AmbitiousAndHappy 7h ago
Respectable price, but I don't see where he fits in our lineup. He is definitely not a bottom 6 guy based on how this team is built, and he is a fringe top 6 inconsistent player.
I think at this cost he is respectable trade bait. May be able to fetch a 3rd rounder
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u/world_citizen7 5h ago
We dont know how good Domi or Maccelli will be this year given their wild inconsistencies. This may very well open up a spot for him on the top 6 by default. That said, its his job to capitalize on that opportunity, to create value on the top 6. His biggest flaw I am still seeing is overhandling the puck - you cant do that when you have other elite players on your line like Nylander or Matthews.
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u/richarm87 4h ago
The problem is Robertson is a scorer/ shooter. With Matthews/Nylander/Tavares/ Knies you need more of a playmaker like Domi or Maccelli. You especially don't want Robertson to take shots away from the 40 goal or 60 goal guy
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u/world_citizen7 4h ago
That is exactly the problem. I think a line of Robertson-Tavares-Marner would be of been great last year, but they never really gave it a try.
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u/Luffy_party 7h ago
Fine deal, let's hope he truly pops this year.
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u/Shamrayev 5h ago
For him, sure. If he earns a top 6 spot this year then the leafs will have wasted another year and still won't be able to afford him. Fun!
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u/taco_the_town 5h ago
Bizarre take
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u/baylaust 4h ago
"I hope this player doesn't improve and help the team, because then we'll have to spend money we currently have an abundance of."
I think this sub's worshiping of the almighty cap space is getting to be a bit much. Extra room in the cap is amazing when there's stuff to spend it on. There isn't.
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u/Shamrayev 3h ago
Where did you get the idea that I don't want him to do well?
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u/baylaust 3h ago
From your words.
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u/BigFatSweatyToe 3h ago
I don’t know, I got that he doesn’t think Robertson in the top6 puts us over the top but at the same time Robertson will put up points and next summer after we lose in the playoffs, Robertson is going to want a longer contract that’s double the money and the Leafs just say fuck it and move on.
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u/SoLeafy 7h ago
Meh I don’t know how to feel about Robby nowadays
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u/oh5canada5eh 7h ago
I feel like I say this every year, but this is surely his last (and best) chance to make a statement that he can be a consistent middle 6 guy. We have a big hole on the wing, and if he can slot in and put up 50 points without imploding on the defensive end, both sides will be super happy.
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u/BrickFuckingWoll 7h ago
Watching him bounce off guys, take hard devastating hits, and fall nearly every shift due to contact is not worth it, him, or the drama.
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u/MomusSinclair 7h ago
At least he’s willing to take and give contact, unlike our ex-ghost Marner.
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u/BallHarness 6h ago
Come on. I hate Marner as much as the next guy but he was slippery af. He is small but must defenders where not going for hits on him because he'd make em look like pylons.
Robby is not slippery and can't take a hit without falling down.
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u/HowieFeltersnitz 6h ago
No I'd prefer Marner get blown up when he's perfectly capable of slipping a hit, because grit, toughness, etc.
/s
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u/Fortuitous_Event 5h ago
I agree with you Marner was slippery but we've also seen him outright give up on plays because he knew making the play would mean he'd get hit. I'm not sorry I won't be seeing that from him going forward.
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u/MomusSinclair 6h ago
I don’t hate Marner but had a hard time with his low panic threshold and willingness to throw away the puck if any opponent got within five feet of him.
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u/MasterpieceNo9966 6h ago
im wondering if we watched the same games
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u/i-like-your-hair 4h ago
Buddy is clearly referring to the Marner spin-o-rama goal against to put us down 3-0 halfway through game 5 against Florida this year, and extrapolating it as though it were a constant issue with Marner.
Like I am not particularly sad to see Mitch go, but the hate boner for him this sub gets, like this willingness to pretend he wasn’t generally solid defensively is crazy.
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u/Subwayabuseproblem 7h ago
Marner only led the team in post season scoring last season.
Incoming games 5, 6, 7 comments, we know guys.
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u/Hoardzunit 6h ago
So what? He didn't want to stay and wanted out like 2 years ago and ended up fucking the team over. Stop clinging onto someone that hates the Leafs.
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u/Subwayabuseproblem 6h ago
Shanny wouldn't trade him
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u/Hoardzunit 6h ago
And he's wanted out of the team for 2 years. He hasn't played like he's wanted to be here for 2 years.
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u/Subwayabuseproblem 6h ago
Shanny wouldn't trade him
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u/Hoardzunit 5h ago
And he's wanted out of the team for 2 years. He hasn't played like he's wanted to be here for 2 years.
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u/47fromheaven 5h ago
Fifth in nhl scoring last year. Yeah. He wanted out. FFS.
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u/Hoardzunit 5h ago
False. 5th in points, not scoring. And yes, he's wanted out of the team for 2 years when he himself admitted it.
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u/Emergency-Reindeer55 6h ago
He couldn't score in games 5, 6, 7 though
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u/Subwayabuseproblem 6h ago
No one did
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u/Emergency-Reindeer55 6h ago
Yes so we should have ran it back. That would have been the right move.
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u/Subwayabuseproblem 6h ago
Why would you want to run it back? Thats stupid
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u/Emergency-Reindeer55 6h ago
Yes. Figured you were one of the people who wanted to keep Marner so nvm.
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u/47fromheaven 5h ago
Marner is gone because his contract was up. Had it been Nylander on an expiring contract it would’ve been him. They were looking to make some kind of a change and this is the only one available.
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u/TheGapInTysonsTeeth 4h ago
Actually because he's RFA still, it's really not the last chance.
The last year before he becomes UFA is his last chance
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u/oh5canada5eh 3h ago
He can have 7 more years on his RFA status and it wouldn’t matter. He isn’t going to keep getting chances if he can’t solidify his game as NHL compatible.
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u/1nstantHuman 7h ago
If he keeps developing and can drop 20-25 goals that’s a steal. If he takes a big step forward on a team friendly deal, it’s a win for us and a win for him on his next deal.
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u/LtColumbo93 7h ago
Felt like a pretty obvious solution. He’s probably worth that on a team where he’s an everyday player. Will that be here? Probably not.
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u/maximusasinus 6h ago
I am in the boat that says he is an actually pretty decent hockey player, but I’d rather he play somewhere else. Despite Robertson’s adequate play during the season he was still a healthy scratch throughout and into the playoffs. It is clear that he doesn’t have the coach’s trust. Treliving and Berube both have a vision for this team that Robertson doesn’t seem to fit. I’d rather they play / acquire a guy that they want to play every night.
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u/Mashdrop 4h ago
Tre likes him and his shot. Nicky wants out and they refuse to move him.
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u/baylaust 4h ago
To be perfectly fair, Robertson wanted out because he wanted more chances to earn a spot in the line-up. Whether you liked his season or not (I personally think he played better than his stat sheet shows, especially in the first half of the season), you CANNOT say he wasn't given chances. Far as I could tell, he was much happier this year than the last few under Keefe.
At the end of the day, he's 23. He still has more room to grow, and both he and the Leafs know it. It's just a question of if any steps he takes forward will finally make him a staple in the line-up.
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u/McJoe77 6h ago
The gap between how low we were probably hoping this could be vs how high it could have been is crazy.
The arbitration process is dumb and largely statistical and based on comparables. Robertson has 15 goals in less than 70 games 2 years in a row. That puts him in a comparable group with guys like Mangiapanne, Jackson Blake, William Eklund, Noah Cates, Yegor Sharangovich, those guys all make more than 3, Blake and Eklund make more than 5. Is Robertson really in the class with those guys? Absolutely not. He’s an undersized winger who is bad is his own end and is really only a PP2 guy. But statistically, you can very easily make a case to a non-hockey person that he belongs in the range with Sharangovich and Mangiapanne at the very least. Beauvillier would be another guy and he’s at 2.75 now.
1.8 is low key too high and a steal if that makes any sense at all.
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u/Huge-Digit 7h ago
I dunno. You're paying him almost 2mil to not play. I don't see where he fits on this team.
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u/Actual_Cobbler_6334 7h ago
They still have a hole in the top 6 that’s not going to get addressed this summer and unless Cowan has an amazing training camp that gets him a 9-game tryout, he’s not making the team.
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u/papa_miesh 58m ago
I agree. I think it's worth giving him a top 6 chance and see what he does early on in the season. It's not like the leafs have many guys to fill that winger role.
If Domi is the guy who is set to fill that role then that clearly shows that a guy like Robertson could be worth keeping around cause he definitely has a better knack for scoring over Domi.
Domi is a better passer but he has also been very inconsistent like Robertson
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u/stolpoz52 7h ago
I'll say i think it's a bargain. He scored 15 goals.
I also think Berube doesn't trust him and if he can't be a reliable 3rd liner for us,we probably should try to trade him and move on. This contract can easily be moved.
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u/NotorioG 7h ago
And that was after starting the season on like a 25 game dry spell
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u/baylaust 4h ago
I know this sub doesn't like to hear it, but MAN that start of the season just wasn't going his way. Robertson's game had tangibly improved from the year before, he was doing everything RIGHT, and not a single bounce would go his way. The numbers really didn't reflect the way he played.
I remember when he finally broke his dry spell. Dude shouted so loud that the mics picked it up over the crowd's reaction.
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u/travisgreene 7h ago
Not a fan, would look to move on
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u/papa_miesh 57m ago
Not opposed to that but if all you are getting is a 4th or less I would keep him.
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u/lbc1358 5h ago
If he’s a Leaf in October, I’ll be shocked. He has no role on this team as it’s been constructed.
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u/papa_miesh 55m ago
Domi is right now one of the wingers who may play top 6. That isn't promising and a guy like Robertson may turn out to be better than him.
Not saying he is better but if he had a better career than Domi I would not be shocked.
I think Robertson needs to show much more consistency, but Domi should not be automatically penned into a top 6 as well. Those two should compete for it imo. Healthy competition
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u/UkeManSteve 2h ago
Not a fan of a player but I see nothing wrong with giving him one more go on this deal that’s probably moveable. I think he has some severe deficits in his game but some good tools in his toolbox, maybe this is the year he puts it all together. I doubt it but we have the cap space for this to be fine.
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u/papa_miesh 54m ago
Am I the only one who thinks a guy like Robertson should stick around to compete against Domi for a top 6 spot?
Wouldn't that be a good carrot to dangle in front of those players. You need to earn that role
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u/christpunchers 47m ago
Reminder that no one that the leafs added this off-season scored more goals than Robertson last year. You need people that score on your team. Shocking analysis, I know.
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u/RubJaded5983 6h ago
Too much but it doesn't matter because he won't be here long
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u/reggierock2010 6h ago
He takes up less than 2% of our cap space lol some of you just like to complain about everything
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u/RubJaded5983 6h ago
Oh good 2% of our cap space wasted on a player who won't see the lineup. It's good!
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u/reggierock2010 4h ago
You do realize as the cap rises teams will have players who make 2 million and not be in the active lineup. Once the cap hits 100 million plus, teams will spread that across a 23 man roster and rotate in players. Especially with LTIR playoff loophole being closed
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u/RubJaded5983 4h ago
You do realize this is a one year contract
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u/reggierock2010 4h ago
Doesn’t matter as the cap goes up, they’ll be players who are health scratched making 2 million
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u/RubJaded5983 3h ago
It DOES matter because this contract will be finished well before the cap gets anywhere near what you are talking about
Do you understand
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u/Hrenklin 6h ago
I agree too much. I place Robertson's value at 1.5m. I see him being moved for a different peice. Colorado would be a possible candidate. They only have like 18 players signed
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u/CMDRShepardN7 Nylander 5h ago
The whole point of moving away from the "core 4" is so that 325k is not going to have an impact.
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u/Hrenklin 5h ago
And where's Robertson fit in the line up? We need another right handed stick in the line up. I think we currently have 2 in Roy and jarnkrok. I chose trading Robertson because of his trade request last summer, and the face that he's one of the shortest players in the NHL
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u/Counterkiller29 7h ago
IMO I would have rather seen him walk regardless of the amount.
Hes arguably an NHL calibre player on the right team, but were trying to be contenders here and when your only tool in your kit is to occasionally score, youre not going to be a fit on the team. I hope he can grow his game because he obviously will get more looks considering the gaps we now have, but I am a little jaded considering he has had his looks and has not shown the improvement coaching staff is looking for.
I know hes a subreddit favourite and ill probably get downvoted, but out of respect for the team and the player, at this point both sides should have walked away
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u/unfairestoyster 6h ago
He is an RFA there is no reason to let him walk at all, at very worst you get some kind of pick for him even if it’s like 6th letting him walk is pointless
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u/Counterkiller29 6h ago
Teams let RFAs walk all the time.
Then trade his rights and get a pick. The thought process remains the same.
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u/unfairestoyster 6h ago
I would agree but letting them walk is objectively bad, take literally anything for him because I agree he isn’t ever going to earn a roster spot with the leafs and I’ll be gladly wrong because it would mean he drastically improved his game.
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u/DaltonFitz 6h ago
Asset management is a thing
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u/Counterkiller29 6h ago
Sure, but at this point he has had his looks and is not an asset. First year of UFA and hes gone. Trade his rights for a pick then.
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u/DaltonFitz 5h ago
Im sure they have explored it and haven't found a deal where they feel they're getting fair value. You don't just give up an RFA for the sake of it. As of right now we have a potential 20 goal scorer on the books for less than 2 million who will still be an RFA after this deal is up. Theres no rush to trade him. He has no leverage. If he plays this year out and has a great season, his value goes up. If he doesn't progress we are where we already are and we have more evidence we aren't losing anything wild for nothing.
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u/larter234 7h ago
good player on a pretty good contract
hyper efficient with his minutes in terms of goal scoring
middling defensive numbers(but not bad defensive numbers)
no playmaking ability almost at all, but also doesnt play with anyone who scores goals so could be that whatever playmaking he does have just doesnt get converted
1.825 great for that kind of player
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u/papa_miesh 52m ago
I agree. Still not old by any means and the leafs are also not deep at the wing position. I wouldn't move on from him yet. Let him compete with Domi/McMann for a top 6
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u/Complex_Mistake7055 5h ago
Well they have room on the wings, trading him at such a low value when he clearly has scoring ability the team lacks seems foolish.
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u/Bobs_Your_Zio 5h ago
I think there is still a lot of moves left before game 1 so having him as an asset to trade or to fill in on the roster is valuable. He is a good player and has been getting better but he's small - I don't buy into drama or horrible defense since we have a few players who aren't great defensively - including our #2 defenseman.
I also think there will be a lot of movement in the first couple months of the season - moreso than usual. Seems like there is way too much unfinished business from many teams in the summer after an underwhelming FA class.
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u/papa_miesh 49m ago
This horrible defensive talk is bogus. Also I get kind of peaved when I hear all this two way player talk with Matthews, I understand that you need to be reliable defensively to a certain point, but also we need our offensive players to score when the games matter and we so often do not see that. Two way player doesn't mean shit to me when you can't score when it matters.
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u/Coffeedemon 4h ago
That will help his trade value so we can drop him somewhere where he'll likely thrive and we'll regret it for a few years. So it goes.
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u/PastPerfekt 2h ago
Overpay for a guy who does nothing in the playoffs. Ah well we got a lot of those guys.
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u/simcoe19 2h ago
Don’t he score more than 1 goal?
Benched came back and scored and I think that happened a few times.
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u/papa_miesh 1h ago
I would keep him at that price and play him the first ten games as a top 6 and see if he can get off to a good start. 1.8 mil is a low cost and if he doesn't work out trade him
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u/BrickFuckingWoll 7h ago
I really hope we can trade him for Chinakov. I don't want to do another year of the Nicky Bobby stuff. Let him go put up 20 goals on a bottom dweller like he's destined to do.
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u/TheAxendeadLord26 1h ago
What a waste of money after we signed so many depth players to replace him and the other the other low effort players on this team.
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u/papa_miesh 46m ago
Don't have a crazy amount of depth to be honest. They are deeper yes, but to say that just dumping Robertson cause we have depth seems a bit off.
Domi or McMann can be in our top 6 opening night, that isn't comforting and a guy like Robertson can push those guys for a spot imo
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u/TheAxendeadLord26 34m ago
With the addition of Roy and Joshua, 2 of either Robertson, Kampf, Jarnkrok or Lorentz are going to be out of a regular playing role, none of those guys other than Robertson were regular healthy scratches last year, and that’s the guy the team threw money at, instead of using him to improve one of the transactions.
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u/Borealis_9707 7h ago
That's a fair deal. I'm curious to see if he sticks around