For those who have followed the Toronto Maple Leafs closely for the past few seasons, Nick Robertson’s name keeps popping up. Then, something unfortunate happens to him injury-wise, and he’s back in the shadows again. He’s been on everyone’s radar then, almost immediately, has disappeared.
I have to hope this season is different. Recently, as part of my homework on him, I listened to a TSN interview where Robertson talked about his last injury and his preparation for this season. Other than the facts of the matter, two things impressed me about him. One was his maturity; and, the other was his lack of quit.
Robertson just keeps coming. That, in itself, might be a double-edged sword – as in, it’s one of his strengths of character as well as one of the things that puts him into trouble on the ice. At 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds, he tries to play like his older brother Jason, who has made it big (at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds) with the Dallas Stars.
Robertson Is Mature and Resilient
The difference in the two brothers’ size is a result of Nick’s difficult birth – he was months premature and almost died except for a “do-or-die shot” of oxygen into his brain and lungs. He spent over two months in the hospital and finally came home on Thanksgiving Day. His birth date was the infamous 9-11 (Sept. 11) the day terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center Towers in New York City, causing such loss of life.
Robertson’s family believes he’s a miracle baby. But, perhaps his on-the-ice miracle can begin this season with the Maple Leafs. As I noted, in his interview he showed remarkable maturity in handling setbacks. As the 2023-24 season looms on the horizon, he’s not wavered in his determination to overcome injuries nor in his willingness to do the hard work that allows him to make the team.
Robertson Is Determined, Focused, and Thankful
Heading into the season, Robertson is once again healthy. He’s also once again weathered a plague of injuries. He’s optimistic and forward-focused.
In this recent interview with TSN, he shared his eagerness to embrace a fresh start after a shoulder injury cut his previous season short. He was succinct in his statement that “The show goes on.” Instead of dwelling on his frustration or past injuries, he emphasized the importance of his staying healthy. At 21 years of age, he’s remarkably pragmatic.
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Robertson recognizes the role his family’s had in keeping him grounded during his challenges. He’s not overthinking his plight and he seems to have an ability to balance his so-far nascent career with his personal emotions.
During the pandemic when the NHL was shut down, Robertson stayed in Canada rather than with his family in the United States. From what I read, he went every day onto empty ice to practice his shooting and skating. In that same way, he worked long hours with his coach during this past offseason.
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His play has been critiqued and he’s been working hard to overcome his weaknesses as a player. He wants to get better. He’s eager to enhance his game. And, he’s not deterred by his setbacks. Perhaps, as he hints in the interview, he’s coming to an understanding that adversity is a natural part of his own journey.
It’s hard for me not to root for him as a person.
Five Reasons to Root for Robertson This Season
In fact, in the remainder of the post, I want to look at what I believe are five reasons Maple Leafs’ fans should root for Robertson to have an injury-free season. It would just seem good karma if the young player had a chance to overcome the difficult start to his NHL career.
Reason One: Robertson Is Working to Make Every Opportunity Count
In his NHL career, he’s only played 31 regular-season games, scoring only three goals and adding only four assists (for seven points). Yet he makes the roster out of training camp (or has great preseasons and then gets sent down because he’s waiver-exempt). He then goes to the team’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Toronto Marlies and, when he’s not injured, puts up about a point a game.
When he’s been able to be on the ice, he’s had a remarkable impact. As noted, he plays larger than his size and fearlessly dives into battles for loose pucks. Robertson’s determination and willingness to put in the hard work have become his “way” of being, both on and off the ice.
Reason Two: Robertson Rebounds from Adversity
Robertson’s journey has been challenging. He’s battled injuries and (probably) the doubts that come with them. Just using what I’ve come to know about what keeps humans up at night, perhaps an even more difficult battle is the one about his place on the team.
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Once the organization’s top prospect, he’s now a bit of an afterthought. Yet, in the face of these difficulties and doubts, he remains strong and even more determined. He keeps rebounding.
Reason Three: Robertson Is Determined to Evolve His Skillset
Robertson has continued to be committed to improving his game. This offseason, he’s been working on his shot selection and his ability to position himself for high-quality scoring chances. He’s also been working on his playing style as well as refining his skills so he can become a smarter, stronger, and more confident player.
Reason Four: Robertson Has Responded to His Troubles with a Humble Confidence
What I have come to learn about most Maple Leafs fans is that they love blue-collar players who demonstrate their own values as fans. In that, Robertson is far from an entitled 21-year-old. He carries himself with humility both on and off the ice. Despite his youth and his setbacks, he exudes quiet confidence. He still thinks he can make a difference as an NHL player. That humility makes him relatable to fans.
Reason Five: Robertson Can Improve the Maple Leafs Roster
It’s easy to forget that Robertson has demonstrated tremendous hockey skills. These days, as I’ve done here, we seem to focus on his injury troubles first and his skills second. That said, Robertson has an incredible shot. Teammate Auston Matthews noted that Robertson’s shot was among the hardest on the team. Head coach Sheldon Keefe praised Robertson’s play last training camp, stating it was the best he’d seen him play in a Leafs’ jersey.
The fact is that an injury-free Robertson can bring it on the ice. Given the opportunity, he can play.
The Bottom Line
Although it seems that Robertson has been with the Maple Leafs for a long time, he’s just 21 years of age and he’s still waiver exempt. He could have a bright future. I, for one, hope he continues to refine his skills, stays healthy, and eventually comes to contribute to his team’s success this season.
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When Robertson first emerged on the scene, I wrote about his potential to become a cornerstone player for the Maple Leafs. That kind of talk has faded into the woodwork. Instead, it’s been replaced with a narrative that Robertson should be trade bait because he needs a fresh start somewhere else.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the “fresh start” part was correct, but the “someplace else” was absolutely wrong?
