Robertson had a career-high in ice time, and his strong play was awarded with shifts in overtime against the Jets.
Robertson had a career-high in ice time, and his strong play was awarded with shifts in overtime against the Jets.
If there was any Maple Leafs skater who was efficacious on Wednesday night against one of the NHL's most dominant teams, it was Nick Robertson.
An assist on the overtime winner to Auston Matthews and a career-high in ice time, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe instilled the most trust he has maybe ever in the 22-year-old.
"We had a lot of guys that just didn't have it tonight, and I thought Robertson did have it," Keefe admitted Wednesday night.
The young forward has not seen much NHL action as of late. Toronto has played 12 games since the beginning of 2024, and Robertson has only dressed for five of them.
To remain in the lineup as both a young player and also a depth option is difficult. Robertson, however, has always done his best to stay ready and stick out when the opportunity arises to get back into the lineup.
"I think it's two things. Preparation, first," Robertson said of how he stays ready. "I think another thing is just to not overthink it...
"We got a bunch of players on this team that deserve to be in the lineup every night. Now it's just a numbers game. We got so much depth, so it is what it is and I think for me to get into a rhythm is just not to overthink why you're being scratched. Just think of the positives and little things you gotta work on."
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsAsKfLYVJM[/embed]
After Robertson set up Matthews for the overtime winner on Wednesday night against the Jets, the Maple Leafs' top goal scorer raved about the player's attitude and work ethic.
"He played great tonight for us and he was rewarded with more ice time, more shifts with different lines [and in] OT," Matthews said. "Robbie comes in every day and he works as hard as anybody. Nothing really fazes him. He obviously wants to play, everybody wants to play.
"But just the way he comes in every day, goes to work, regardless if he's in the lineup or not, he does all the extra stuff. I think, in the games he’s played, he’s been the difference-maker at times, and obviously tonight he played really well."
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWsr2k88ry4[/embed]
Robertson, on Wednesday, generated the most shots of any forward on Toronto at five-on-five with four in the game, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
He spent some time on the Maple Leafs' third line with Calle Jarnkrok and Max Domi but even got moved up to the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander.
Arguably one of the best games of his young NHL career, this will be one that Robertson can build upon to remain in the lineup for good.
"We talked about the boost that he gave us at the end of a long road trip in Seattle, and I thought he gave us a boost here again tonight. That's what you need," Keefe added of Robertson.
"We were talking about it as coaches in the second intermission that it's one of those games where we're going to need somebody else to step up because I didn't feel like our top guys had it tonight.
"And Robby was certainly a candidate for me and that's why you start to double him up a little bit and got him involved in the overtime. He was all around the puck and made a play and Auston finished it."
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