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Toronto Maple Leafs re-sign Nick Robertson to one-year deal

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Nick Robertson is signed.

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Now that the Maple Leafs winger’s speedy future is sealed with a one-year contract, he’ll get an opportunity to ship.

After requesting a commerce earlier throughout the low season, Robertson, who turns 23 on Wednesday, put his signature on a pact that may pay him $875,000 US. The Leafs introduced the contract on Tuesday morning.

A chance awaits Robertson as soon as the Leafs hit the ice on Sept. 19 on the Ford Efficiency Centre. The Leafs have holes on the left facet — taking nothing away from Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann — and underneath new coach Craig Berube, Robertson will get an opportunity that he thought may need arisen elsewhere. He has the potential to supply extra offence than, say, Pontus Holmberg or Connor Dewar from the left wing.

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“We have a look at Nick as a superb participant,” Leafs normal supervisor Brad Treliving mentioned in July. “And there’s nice alternative for Nick right here. We want him to be a very good participant for us.”

Although the Robertson signing offers Treliving little respiration room underneath the $88-million wage cap — puckpedia.com has the Leafs with  simply $400,833 in cap area — there stays hypothesis that winger Max Pacioretty and defenceman Jani Hakanpaa shall be signed. Accidents have restricted the 35-year-old Pacorietty to 53 video games up to now two seasons, throughout which he scored a complete of seven targets for Carolina and Washington.

Whether or not Pacioretty would get something extra from the Leafs than an expert tryout in camp stays to be seen. If that’s the way it begins for the veteran, a contract could be coming as soon as the Leafs get their cap points sorted out.

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A restricted free agent, Robertson had no leverage because the summer time handed.

The Leafs weren’t underneath stress to commerce him, and it could have made zero sense for Robertson to overlook any time in camp.

As soon as his new contract expires, Robertson once more shall be a restricted free agent subsequent summer time and shall be eligible for arbitration.

Accidents had stalled Robertson’s progress in his skilled hockey profession.

Nonetheless, he performed in 56 video games final season and had 14 targets and 13 assists, however thought he didn’t get a correct look in what turned out to be Sheldon Keefe’s last yr as Leafs coach.

After Christmas in 2023-24, Robertson returned to the Leafs lineup 5 instances after being scratched, and on 4 events, he scored in his return.

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In 87 profession video games with the Leafs, Robertson, a second-round choose by Toronto in 2019, has 17 targets and 17 assists.

Hakanpaa could be a lift to the Leafs’ penalty kill, however he didn’t play after March 16 for Dallas final season following a knee damage. It initially was reported when free company opened in July that Hakanpaa could be signing with the Leafs, but there was no official announcement from Toronto.

If Hakanpaa is signed, it’s potential that defenceman Conor Timmins could be waived.

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The Leafs introduced final week that ahead Steven Lorentz shall be in camp on a PTO.

And rookie Easton Cowan shall be seeking to make an affect on the wing after dominating the Ontario Hockey League final season with the London Knights. Cowan isn’t eligible to play for the Toronto Marlies, so he’ll be with both the Leafs or the Knights in 2024-25.

The event of centre Fraser Minten, in the meantime, would possibly finest be served with a full season with the Marlies. Minten will attempt to persuade group brass in camp he deserves one other shot with the NHL membership after he cracked the Leafs roster a yr in the past earlier than he was returned to the Western Hockey League.

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