BREAKING: Toronto Maple Leafs Ready to Trade Nick Robertson – Coach Berube Weighs In
The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly ready to part ways with forward Nick Robertson, despite his recent one-year, $1.825 million contract extension. NHL insider Chris Johnston revealed on The Chris Johnston Show
Robertson, 23, has faced stiff competition for a spot in the Leafs' forward group, especially after the addition of veterans like Mattias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua this offseason. With Toronto's roster becoming increasingly crowded, Robertson's future with the team appears uncertain, and the prospect of a trade remains strong.
“There’s a lot of competition in camp, and trade talk is part of that. It’s a business, and the team will always do what’s best for the future. I’ll leave it at that,” said Leafs head coach Craig Berube, acknowledging the reality of the situation and the fierce battle for positions.
Robertson’s potential move comes as the Leafs aim to balance their roster while maintaining their Stanley Cup aspirations. The addition of key veterans has only added to the difficulty Robertson faces in securing a full-time role. While he has shown flashes of talent, his inability to solidify a spot last season—ultimately being left off the playoff roster—has raised questions about his long-term future in Toronto.
Although Robertson's contract extension seemed to signal stability, the Leafs’ commitment to competing at the highest level could see them trade the young forward to improve their prospects or acquire another asset. As Johnston notes, the Leafs are likely to seek a young player or a draft pick in return to rebuild their prospect pool.
While no trade has been confirmed yet, the situation remains fluid. Toronto’s management is clearly focused on building a team capable of winning the Stanley Cup, even if it means sacrificing some promising young talent like Robertson. As training camp progresses, all eyes will be on the Leafs' decision-making process regarding their future plans for Robertson.
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Pros & Cons of Rangers Using Zibanejad at Right Wing to Start the Season
The New York Rangers have a lot of questions to answer this season. After a disastrous 2024-25 campaign, everyone will be looking for a fresh start, especially Mika Zibanejad. After a poor start to last season, he ended on a high note after moving to the right wing. He’s expected to stay on the right wing when 2025-26 opens, so here are some pros and cons of playing him at that position.
Pro: Continued Chemistry Growth with J.T. Miller
The reason why Zibanejad was moved to the right wing was that general manager Chris Drury traded to bring J.T. Miller back to New York from the Vancouver Canucks. With Miller at center, the coaching staff decided to move Zibanejad to the wing to see if that pairing could work. This pairing indeed worked extremely well and saved Zibanejad’s season from disaster. Before the Miller trade, he had nine goals and 29 points. In the 32 games after being moved to the wing, he recorded 11 goals and 33 points.
Keeping Zibanejad and Miller together to start the season could be a great way for them to find that chemistry again. Despite their different personalities, they work well together, and they ended last season as two of the team’s best offensive players. If they can replicate that success, we could see some big early wins for the Rangers.
Pro: Rangers’ Top Six Forwards Would Be Loaded With Talent
Keeping Zibanejad on the wing should make the Rangers’ top-six forward group one of the most talented in the league. The first line would see Will Cuylle playing with Miller and Zibanejad (Cuylle did get some chances to play on that line last season, and now that Chris Kreider is no longer on the team, that top-six spot has opened up for Cuylle full-time). He had a great sophomore season, with 20 goals and 45 points. He signed a two-year contract this offseason and will look to build on last season’s success.
The projected second line dominated the league two seasons ago. Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere all had career seasons in 2023-24, but last season, did not find the same magic and each took a step back. Maybe playing in a new system and under new head coach Mike Sullivan will help them find that spark. This top six could match up with any top team in the league.
Con: Rangers’ Bottom Six Forwards Group Is Full of Question Marks
The problem with playing Zibanejad on the wing is that it leaves the bottom six with a lot of questions. If Miller, Zibanejad, and Trocheck each center their own line, Juuso Parssinen will then have to be the third-line center, and he hasn’t shown he can be a consistent player, being scratched multiple times after he was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche. Having Zibanejad play on the wing does make room for younger players like Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann, and Gabe Perreault to fight for bottom-six winger spots, but these players are unproven and might not be ready to play full-time in the NHL.
Other players competing for a bottom-six role are Sam Carrick, Matt Rempe, Taylor Raddysh, Adam Edstrom, Johnny Brodzinski, Justin Dowling, and Connor Sheary, who is on a professional tryout. While all of these players have their positives, they just don’t match up well against the league’s powerhouse teams like the Florida Panthers, who had Brad Marchand playing on their bottom six last season.
The Rangers no longer have the depth they had last season when Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko were on the third line. So, if Zibanejad stays on the wing, it will leave some holes on the bottom six.
Zibanejad is at the top of the list of players under pressure to perform in 2025-26. His play has declined over the last two seasons, but if moving him to the wing is the way to get the most out of him at this point in his career, it will have both positive and negative impacts on the Rangers to start this season.
