Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Robertson set to join team upon return
By James Reeve
The Toronto Maple Leafs will face the Columbus Blue Jackets in the ‘play-in’ round of the NHL’s 24-team playoff setup and one exciting prospect is set to join up with the team.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs not having a selection in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, the team had to wait until day two to choose a player they viewed as having a bright future.
With the 53rd overall pick, Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas selected American forward Nick Robertson, the youngest player in the draft.
Robertson’s draft year saw the young California native post a 55-point season (27 goals, 28 assists) in just 54 regular-season games with the Peterborough Petes, adding a further goal and assist in five playoff games.
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The diminutive forward stands at just 5-foot-9, 161 lbs, but what he has accomplished over his first post-draft season has certainly caught the eye of the NHL franchise.
In just 46 games with the Petes prior to the ongoing pandemic, a season in which he was named an alternate captain, Robertson scored an OHL-leading 55 goals and added a further 31 assists, regularly playing alongside fellow Leafs prospect Semyon Der-Arguchintsev.
Not only did Robertson impress with his offensive production, but he was also the recipient of the 2019/20 William Hanley Trophy, awarded to the most Sportsmanlike player in the Ontario Hockey League.
These are certainly impressive achievements for any player in the major juniors system, but what makes it even more astonishing is the fact Robertson is still just 18 years of age.
Robertson, who impressed Team USA with five points (two goals, three assists) in five games at the World Junior Championships this season, does not turn 19 until September 11th.
Now, after a year of truly great play, it appears as if his dream of reaching the NHL, which he believes he is ready for, will come to fruition far sooner than expected.
Per Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, Dubas has stated that Robertson will be included in the Leafs’ roster when they return to play in the 24-team post-season.
The young, promising forward may not necessarily appear in a game during the series, but he will certainly learn from the experience of being around the team during a playoff run, seeing how professionals prepare for games and go about their business.
If he manages to see the ice for the Leafs, it will be the perfect reward for a season of hard work and dedication that is already looking to have been a masterstroke by Dubas, who made the selection almost a year ago.
An impressive spell with the team in this unique post-season will help his case to make the team right out of the gate for the 2020-21 season and he will be hoping his penchant for scoring goals at the junior level will translate over to the professional game.
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With the return to play plans having been announced by league commissioner Gary Bettman, fans will undoubtedly be excited to see how the team can perform when the playoffs finally begin.
It may also be the first time fans get to see Robertson don the white and blue, giving them a glimpse of what looks to be a very bright future ahead.