TSN insider Pierre LeBrun joined the hosts on OverDrive on Thursday and talked about Nicholas Robertson‘s signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. LeBrun said that it took some time for Robertson’s trade request to soften. Why did it? Did something happen that woke Robertson up to the fact he didn’t have a leg to stand on?
A process that dragged out for over two months, what took so long for Robertson to realize that his best opportunity was going to come in Toronto?
Robertson’s Agent Gave Him a Dose of Reality
LeBrun said, “…obviously over the course of the weekend that finally softened and I think that required was his age at Pat Brisson sort of laying it out for his client saying ‘Listen they tried to trade you all summer man and I’ve tried to help them find you a team and it’s just not out there.’
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LeBrun added that hearing that must have been a pretty hard pill to swallow. As a young player, when you hear that, it’s got to be hard on your ego. The fact is, Robertson did show signs of life last season and when he played, he was effective. But, his resume in the NHL isn’t extensive. He’s had injury issues and not a lot of games played.
Then, when you add the fact that he requested a trade despite a new coach and a new opportunity — even when it could be argued he hadn’t earned his spot — teams might have decided to stay away from that drama.
LeBrun noted that there was “just no market” for Robertson and it was for that reason the forward changes his tune and signed with the team on a one-year team-friendly deal.
Pacioretty Talk Might Have Been an Eye-Opener
LeBrun also said that the Max Pacioretty deal with Toronto isn’t really on a PTO. He called it a tap dance, but he argued that Pacioretty “has a job on this team” and it’s just a matter of time before he signs a contract. LeBrun understands that the veteran forward flew in sometime in August to work out for the organization to see where he was at health-wise. “I like this bet big time,” said LeBrun.
If Pacioretty to the Leafs was effectively a done deal, perhaps the talk of making room for the veteran winger gave Robertson a little bit of a reason to worry. Knowing a spot wasn’t waiting for him to fill made Robertson realize that the Leafs didn’t necessarily need to rush to sign him. If they already had a replacement ready to go, any leverage he thought he might have was almost non-existent.
What Are Robertson’s Options Now?
LeBrun didn’t rule out the possibility of a future trade, but he didn’t seem as optimistic as some reporters who suggested a trade could come before the start of the season. Instead, LeBrun figures that Robertson is going to have to approach camp and the 2024-25 campaign with a chip on his shoulder.
From there, if he plays well, it might open the door to other teams revisiting the idea of a trade. It will require Robertson to get over the fact that no one wanted to trade for him and the Leafs weren’t going to cave to his demands. It might require him to get over any awkwardness that might exist in the locker room. He just needs to stay healthy, work hard, and produce.
If he can do that, he’ll have more options than he had when he signed a deal he probably didn’t want to sign, but realized he had to.