In a recent Q&A article on Pittsburgh Hockey Now, Penguins reporter Dan Kingerski mentioned that Kyle Dubas may have interest in Nick Robertson, who he selected 53rd overall back in 2019.
"First, we can confirm that Dubas really likes Robertson. That should chum the waters just a little more." Kingerski said.
He added, "We wrote back in May that Robertson should be high on Dubas's target list (*ahem, first!). Both PHN and Dubas were present in the 2020 bubble playoffs-In the training camp leading up to the tournament, Robertson set tongues wagging. Toronto was ready to build statues of the then 18-year-old, who was a mere second-round pick."
Robertson, a native of Pasadena, California, spent the majority of his time in the NHL during the 2023-24 season and was quite effective for the Maple Leafs in a bit of a reduced role, only averaging 11:23 time on-ice per game. In 56 games, Robertson had 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists), four penalty minutes and was a plus-four.
With training camps opening in three weeks, it's going to be interesting to see how this story develops and if any teams step up to the plate to make a trade offer to Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving for the 22-year-old winger. Robertson has potential, there's no doubt about that, but there isn't much opportunity for ice time in Toronto given how strong their top-six forward group is and the inability to squeeze into a bigger role with the organization.