海角社区官网

His other? Contract years. This will be his third straight.

Which is only a little odd because it鈥檚 been more than six years since the Maple Leafs drafted Robertson in the second round. And you鈥檇 think over that time the team might have come to a decision on their feelings for the 24-year-old winger from California.

On one level, it doesn鈥檛 seem that complicated. Robertson鈥檚 strengths and weaknesses are pretty well defined. He is gifted with the rarest of skills. Over the past two seasons combined in Leafland, only Auston Matthews has scored at a higher five-on-five rate. Robertson鈥檚 per-60-minute output at five-on-five outstrips that of a long list of marquee NHL players. Last year, he had 15 goals in 69 games playing a mere 12 minutes a night. The year before that, he had 14 in 56 games playing even less.

Yet there probably isn鈥檛 a proven scorer in the sport with more to prove. He鈥檚 on a one-year deal after agreeing to a pre-arbitration contract that鈥檒l pay him $1.8 million (U.S.). He was on a one-year deal last year. And the year before that, he was in the final year of his entry-level contract. NHL teams have a lot of control over young players. In the case of Robertson, the Leafs have used it.

鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 a blessing in disguise that you鈥檝e got to work. It鈥檚 a contract year; I think it鈥檚 my third one,鈥� he was saying last week as training camp opened. 鈥淏ut my mentality鈥檚 no different. If I sign an eight-year deal or a one-year deal, my mindset is working hard and coming in and proving myself.鈥�

Robertson, mind you, has never been afraid to voice his frustration. Asked last week about a 2025 playoff run spent mostly in the press box聽鈥� he played in just three of 13 post-season games聽鈥� he struck a defiant tone.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a question for (head coach Craig Berube). Obviously, I wanted to play,鈥� Robertson said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like being out of the lineup. So the thing for me is to just keep doing what I鈥檓 doing. I know my hard work鈥檚 going to pay off. I鈥檓 just sticking to what I do best, and that鈥檚 working hard and sticking to my strengths.鈥�

If continuing to do what he鈥檚 been doing was sufficient, of course, he鈥檇 be a Berube mainstay.

There鈥檚 never been a question of whether Robertson can shoot the puck in the net. It鈥檚 about what he鈥檚 doing when he鈥檚 not.

Is he winning puck battles? Robertson said he worked on those this summer. Is he a defensive liability? Of the 18 Leafs who鈥檝e played the most over the past two seasons, Robertson ranks dead last in defensive-zone starts at five-on-five, which could speak to the trust level of two different coaching staffs.

Still, the Leafs produced precisely four goals combined in their final four playoff games last spring. Robertson potted one in the only one of those games in which he played. The Leafs have long been begging for scoring when it matters. They have never seemed sure Robertson can be trusted to be on the ice to provide it.

鈥淗e scores goals and he鈥檚 definitely a part of this team, and we鈥檒l see where he fits,鈥� Berube said last week. 鈥淐amp will sort that out and see where he fits. So right now, I can鈥檛 tell you exactly where he鈥檚 going to play, and I can鈥檛 tell you where a lot of guys are going to play.

鈥淚鈥檝e got to see how they look and where they fit. But I think he鈥檚 a valuable player and we like Nick.鈥�

Fit is an issue. Toronto鈥檚 forward ranks are awfully crowded. And maybe a trade鈥檚 coming. Still, if they couldn鈥檛 find one last year when he was earning $875,000, what are the odds they鈥檒l be able to find one now that he鈥檚 making more than twice as much? It鈥檚 not impossible. Circumstances are always changing. And neither is it impossible that, with the right combination of timely play and/or timely injuries, Robertson could end up proving he鈥檚 getting closer to the player the Leafs want him to be this season.

One thing seems certain: The Leafs are loath to just give him away. If there鈥檚 an outcome that would possibly look worse for the Leafs than Robertson living on the edge of the roster in Toronto, it鈥檚 Robertson filling the net and thriving somewhere else.