The Timothy Liljegren era has come to an end in Toronto after the defenseman was traded to San Jose. The Hockey News Wraparound Show debates who won the deal. Nick Robertson may not have been in the lineup on November 13 when the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Washington Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/], but he still managed to leave an impact that night – off the ice. While serving as a healthy scratch, the 23-year-old forward met a young fan who held a sign decorated with the Philippines flag. The sign signaled a connection to Robertson’s Filipino heritage while featuring a photo taken with the forward from a previous meeting during the 2023-24 season, leaving space for another picture from the Maple Leafs winger. During the game, Robertson took time to find the fan and recreate the photo. “Yeah, it’s awesome,” Robertson said after practice on Friday when asked about meeting the young fan. “Obviously, I wanted to play, but to get an opportunity to encounter a little kid that’s a fan. He’s a fan of my brother (Dallas Stars’ Jason Robertson) as well. I thought it was right to meet him and his dad, so I was happy to make his day.” As one of the NHL’s few players of Filipino descent, Robertson clearly embraces his role as an ambassador. He noted how often he encounters fans who share his heritage. “Oh, it's a lot, actually,” Robertson said. “It's surprisingly a lot. So I get it a few times. Just to make the kids' day, whether they're Filipino or not, they're a fan, I'm happy to do so.” The forward has just one point (a goal) in 17 games with the Maple Leafs this season. He hasn't scored since October 22 in a 6-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He acknowledged the struggles but remained optimistic about turning things around. “I think I've had my chances to get a few on the board, but it is what it is. I thought I was going to put it in the last game when there was a scrum and there was a two-on-one, but it is what it is. I just got to keep plugging away, not worrying about the past, not worrying about where it's at, and just kind of taking it game by game and focusing on what I can do to have a good game,” Robertson explained. At Friday’s practice, Robertson was skating alongside Pontus Holmberg and William Nylander with injuries potentially securing a spot in the top six. The chance to play with Nylander specifically presents an opportunity for Robertson to end his scoring drought. “I think just playing fast and keeping it simple, let Willy do his thing and shoot the puck when I get a chance. I think I just got to play with my pace and my game to complement them and hopefully I can do that.”
