Maple Leafs Forward Still Awaiting New Contract

Of the 11 players who elected salary arbitration, only one Toronto Maple Leafs player remains without a deal.

Jan 16, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson (89) pursues the play against the New Jersey Devils in the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Earlier this month, 11 NHL players filed for salary arbitration with their teams. As the calendar prepares to turn to August, all of those players have agreed to new contracts.

Well, all except one: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson.

Robertson, brother of Dallas Stars standout Jason Robertson, has had a tumultuous tenure in Toronto. The 23-year-old had been in and out of the Maple Leafs' lineup for years, and in fact, last season was the first time he didn't spend any time in the AHL. He had a solid showing too, scoring 15 goals (a career-high) and 22 points in 69 games while averaging 12 minutes of ice time per night.

Before that, though, Robertson requested a trade on July 1, 2024. He and the Maple Leafs were eventually able to agree on a one-year deal worth $875,000, but now that he's a restricted free agent again, it seems the two sides are at another impasse.

Robertson's arbitration hearing is just a few days away on Aug. 3, so unless something changes soon, things could get slightly messy.

Most players who filed for arbitration ended up signing their new deals well before their scheduled hearing dates, but there is one notable exception in Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg, who agreed to a three-year deal on Wednesday just hours before his hearing. Perhaps Robertson and the Maple Leafs could similarly strike a deal at the eleventh hour, but again, there haven't been many signs of progress.

According to PuckPedia, the Maple Leafs have roughly $2.93 million in cap space to work with, so they have the money to get a deal done. The question is whether or not they want to.

While Robertson has made progress, he's still yet to carve out a regular niche for himself and was a healthy scratch for 10 of 13 playoff games this spring. The Leafs may decide it's better to shop Robertson around and see what they can get, potentially saving themselves a bit of money in the process.

Regardless of what they choose to do, the next few days will be very interesting for Robertson and the Leafs.

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