Despite previous reports confirming Nick Robertson's wishes to get traded and his intentions not to sign with the Leafs, the player agreed on a one-year contract, as announced by the organization on Tuesday morning.
Even if Robertson could finally get an important role with the Leafs this season, he wants a fresh start with another organization.
Frank Seravalli believes a trade is more likely to happen now that he has signed a contract.
Why? Because it's much easier to trade a player with a contract than a restricted free agent.
According to the insider, that could explain why Robertson agreed to sign a contract in Toronto.
Here's what he shared:
While he could still be a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the start of the season, it wouldn't be surprising to see General Manager Brad Treliving pull off a deal during the season. Players with one-year contracts often generate a lot of interest near the trade deadline, as teams with high expectations going into the playoffs often look for reinforcements at this time of the year.
After a career-high tally of 27 points in 56 games with the Leafs last season, Robertson seems finally ready to have an impact in the NHL. If a trade ever materializes, he could bring an interesting return to Toronto, making the trade scenario even more likely to go down.
Source: Frank Seravalli on X
Source for Nicholas Robertson's statistics: NHL.com
POLL | ||
10 SEPTEMBRE | 47 ANSWERS Nick Robertson likely to get traded before opening night despite new contract, per Frank Seravalli Do you think Nick Robertson will be traded before the start of the 2024-25 NHL season? | ||
Yes | 26 | 55.3 % |
No | 21 | 44.7 % |
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