Robertson makes his pre-season debut on Pontus Holmberg's right wing with Bobby McMann on the left.
Robertson makes his pre-season debut on Pontus Holmberg's right wing with Bobby McMann on the left.
Nick Robertson is entering his first pre-season game of the year with the Maple Leafs controlling what he can control.
The 23-year-old will get his first taste of game action on Tuesday night when Toronto takes on the Ottawa Senators inside the Canadian Tire Centre. Robertson will skate on the team's second line, alongside Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg.
It's the first opportunity — in a game setting, aside from a scrimmage — for Robertson to show head coach Craig Berube what he's got ahead of the regular season.
"I'm very excited. I think our whole group's excited," Robertson said on Tuesday morning. "We're excited to go out there and get the rust off and get back into game action."
Robertson has some stiff competition in this training camp, with Max Pacioretty, on a professional tryout, Easton Cowan, Nikita Grebenkin, and Pontus Holmberg all trying to push for a spot.
When asked on Sunday if he sees anyone as competition for a spot on the team entering the regular season, Robertson said he wasn't looking at the chance to crack the roster with that point of view.
"You're always competing. I just gotta do what I gotta do. I'm focused on myself and just playing well, and coaches sort that stuff out," he said.
"We're all competitors. We're not just competing against one guy, we're always competitors in practice and competitors against other teams in games."
After playing 87 games throughout the last four seasons with Toronto, Robertson reportedly requested a trade out of the organization early in the summer. That did not occur and he then signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Maple Leafs in early September.
Robertson has scored 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points throughout his NHL career, riddled with several injuries. He played 57 games last season and scored 14 goals and 13 assists in his first true opportunity at the NHL level.
The Pasadena, California, native is part of a game roster on Tuesday which features a couple of nearly-definite NHLers this season, including Matthew Knies, David Kampf, Simon Benoit, and Anthony Stolarz.
Robertson, and the rest of Toronto's squad, are looking to put up a good showing against the Senators' top players.
"Yeah, I think it's a good opportunity for all of us, not just myself. Obviously, [Ottawa] is going to play their top players, and we look forward for the challenge, and we're all just excited to get going."
Whether the still-young forward makes the Maple Leafs out of camp remains to be seen. Cracking the opening night roster will be tough, but as mentioned, Robertson isn't looking too far into the future.
He wants to do what he can and to "work hard," to give himself the best chance of being a Maple Leaf in the season opener on Oct. 9 in Montreal.
"Control what I can control, and as the game goes [on], you get more confident, you get more comfortable. These pre-season games are meant for you to get comfortable and get back into it, so that's what I'm looking forward to."
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