There's a date for restricted free agent Nick Robertson's arbitration hearing with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to PuckPedia.com, the 23-year-old's hearing date is set for August 3, though there's always the chance that he and the Maple Leafs agree on a number before they reach arbitration. Robertson was extended a qualifying offer by Toronto, allowing the club to retain his rights entering the offseason, before filing for arbitration on July 5.
Robertson is coming off a career year for goals with 15, plus seven assists for 22 points in 69 games this season. It was also a career year for games played, however, the forward lost out on a lineup spot once the playoffs rolled around.
He appeared in three games with Toronto in the postseason, registering a goal and an assist in that span, against the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. It's now over a year since Robertson reportedly requested a trade out of Toronto before signing a one-year, $875,000 contract with the team on September 10.
"I think Nick is a good player," Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said in June. "He's still a young player, he’s still an evolving player, but he's got a skill set, and he shoots it in the net. That's a good skill set to have."
With Toronto's increased depth, it'll still be difficult for Robertson to crack the Maple Leafs' lineup consistently next season. The club added Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua this summer via trades, while losing Mitch Marner, Pontus Holmberg, and potentially Max Pacioretty.
However, the Maple Leafs can use his scoring touch within their bottom six. In 156 career games with Toronto, Robertson has 56 points (32 goals and 24 assists), while averaging just over 11.5 minutes per game.
The last Maple Leafs player to opt for arbitration was former Toronto forward Connor Dewar. The NHLPA revealed on July 4, 2024, that he elected for salary arbitration. Dewar and the Maple Leafs agreed to a one-year, $1.18 million contract 19 days later, on July 23.
Other RFAs who've elected for arbitration this summer include Chicago Blackhawks' Arvid Soderblom (July 28), New York Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov (July 29), Winnipeg Jets' Dylan Samberg (July 30), Buffalo Sabres' Conor Timmins (August 2), and Montreal Canadiens' Jayden Struble (August 3).
This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: Report: Nick Robertson's Arbitration Hearing Date With Maple Leafs Revealed
(Top photo of Robertson: Nick Turchiaro / Imagn Images)