For the first time in his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nick Robertson has leverage. The forward filed for salary arbitration [https://www.nhlpa.com/news/1-22899/11-players-elect-salary-arbitration] on Saturday, which allows a third party to decide his compensation for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old Robertson scored a career-high 15 goals and added seven assists last season. He played in 69 games with the Leafs last season, a positive sign that the player’s history of injury is indeed in the past. However, the forward was limited to playing in just three of Toronto’s 13 playoff games this past spring, due to decision-making from Leafs head coach Craig Berube. Robertson has been in the Leafs organization since he was drafted in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Expectations were high for him to replicate his elite goal-scoring at the Ontario Hockey League level, especially when the player was fast-tracked to an NHL debut by suiting up for the club during the 2020 NHL playoffs. However, a combination of injuries and underperformance, coupled with the back-and-forth he experienced in the 2023-24 season between the Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies (AHL) as the club managed its salary cap, has stunted the player’s growth. 'I Understand It But I'm Not Going To Sit Here And Say That I'm Happy': Maple Leafs' Roster Shuffle Tests Nick Robertson's Patience Upon His Return to the Team [https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/guNh6pEx/poster.jpg?width=720] 'I Understand It But I'm Not Going To Sit Here And Say That I'm Happy': Maple Leafs' Roster Shuffle Tests Nick Robertson's Patience Upon His Return to the Team Robertson was called up to the Maple Leafs after being sent down to help the team open up some salary cap space. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-understand-it-but-im-not-going-to-sit-here-and-say-that-im-happy-maple-leafs-roster-shuffle-tests-nick-robertsons-patience-upon-his-return-to-the-team] Last year, Robertson began the summer by requesting a trade away from Toronto. Instead of getting his wish, however, he signed a one-year, $875,000 deal to remain with the team. This past week, the Leafs tendered a $919,000 qualifying offer to Robertson in order to retain the forward’s rights. Report: Maple Leafs Restricted Free Agent Nick Robertson 'Still Would Prefer A Change Of Address' [https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/w3cDuSIB/poster.jpg?width=720] Report: Maple Leafs Restricted Free Agent Nick Robertson 'Still Would Prefer A Change Of Address' Robertson reportedly requested a trade away from the Maple Leafs back in June and hasn't changed his stance. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-restricted-free-agent-nick-robertson-still-would-prefer-a-change-of-address?utm_source=chatgpt.com] With the departure of Mitch Marner [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-trade-mitch-marner-s-to-vegas-agrees-to-eight-year-deal-worth-12-million-aav?utm_source=chatgpt.com] this offseason, players like Robertson will be counted on to pick up the slack in the scoring department. This makes assessing his fair value an interesting exercise if the team and player are unable to come to an agreement beforehand. The Maple Leafs and Robertson can continue negotiating up until their scheduled hearing begins. Once that happens, both sides will make their case based on prepared comparables (i.e., other players with similar stats, age, and roles) before a third party rules on final compensation. 'The Puzzle Has Got To Come Into Play': Maple Leafs Not Rushing Contracts Of RFAs Nick Robertson And Pontus Holmberg [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/3e80d901-0c93-4123-8cf3-f9b7d127cf4f.webp] 'The Puzzle Has Got To Come Into Play': Maple Leafs Not Rushing Contracts Of RFAs Nick Robertson And Pontus Holmberg While the talk of the town might be whether <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-gm-brad-treliving-says-john-tavares-negotiations-will-have-a-good-outcome-unless-proven-otherwise">the Toronto Maple Leafs can sign John Tavares</a> before July 1 rolls around, you cannot forget about their younger restricted free agents. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/the-puzzle-has-got-to-come-into-play-maple-leafs-not-rushing-contracts-of-rfas-nick-robertson-and-pontus-holmberg] The “walkaway” number in the collective bargaining agreement is $4.85 million, according to Puckpedia.com [https://puckpedia.com/salary-cap/arbitration]. Any award exceeding that number would allow the Leafs not to be obligated to sign the California-born forward, and he would then become an unrestricted free agent. Robertson currently has 32 goals and 24 assists in 156 NHL games. Given the history, it's not a surprise at all that the player would exercise his right to leverage for the first time in his NHL career. Finding the right value on the player will be interesting. An arbitrator can only award a one or two-year contract for Robertson. Hearings for all 11 players announced for arbitration will run from July 20 to August 4. (Photo Credit, Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images) 'He Always Wants To Be The Best': Why Tinus Luc Koblar Could Be Maple Leafs' Biggest Steal Of The 2025 NHL Draft [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9b01e189-2902-400d-95be-10b82a80e4ab.webp] 'He Always Wants To Be The Best': Why Tinus Luc Koblar Could Be Maple Leafs' Biggest Steal Of The 2025 NHL Draft A few weeks after being <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/2025-nhl-draft-maple-leafs-use-64th-pick-to-select-norwegian-tinus-luc-koblar">drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs</a>, Tinus Luc Koblar is soaking up his time in the city. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/he-always-wants-to-be-the-best-why-tinus-luc-koblar-could-be-maple-leafs-biggest-steal-of-the-2025-nhl-draft] Maple Leafs Goaltender Anthony Stolarz Spotted Back On Ice In New Training Video Shared by Offseason Coach George Bosak [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/be704340-df9d-4b71-9b48-f5cd24b7666b.webp] Maple Leafs Goaltender Anthony Stolarz Spotted Back On Ice In New Training Video Shared by Offseason Coach George Bosak Toronto Maple Leafs fans breathed a sigh of relief when Anthony Stolarz unexpectedly took the ice as Joseph Woll’s backup goaltender in their Game 7 defeat against the Florida Panthers in May, especially as the goaltender later confirmed he was fully cleared from the concussion he sustained from an incident with Panthers forward Sam Bennett in Game 1 of their second-round series. A further positive sign was seeing the goaltender take the ice in full gear with his off-season goaltending coach George Bosak, a moment shared on the coach’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLk7KhVOBE7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">Instagram account on Friday. </a> [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-goaltender-anthony-stolarz-spotted-back-on-ice-in-new-training-video-shared-by-offseason-coach-george-bosak] 'What's This Horse About?': Maple Leafs Prospects React To Having Wild Colt At Development Camp [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a84a4ebb-3798-4582-b4e1-c4790cfe5f5e.webp] 'What's This Horse About?': Maple Leafs Prospects React To Having Wild Colt At Development Camp The Toronto Maple Leafs prospects didn't know what they were getting themselves into <a href="https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/1941197349856084321">when they rolled into Exhibition Place</a> on Friday morning. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/what-s-this-horse-about-maple-leafs-prospects-react-to-having-wild-colt-at-development-camp]
