Trade Pitch Deals Maples Leafs Disgruntled Forward to Utah

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson has asked for a trade, and one proposed deal could send him to Utah.

Robertson, a restricted free agent, has indicated to the Maple Leafs that he doesn’t intend to re-sign due to dissatisfaction with his current role. As a result, he has become a focus of trade speculation. Recently, PuckPedia’s new tool, PuckGM, which allows users to propose their own trades, featured a suggestion where Toronto would trade Robertson to Utah.

Maple Leafs get: In the proposed trade, the Utah team would acquire Nick Robertson, while the Toronto Maple Leafs would receive Jack McBain in return.

In the proposed one-for-one trade, Toronto would send the unhappy forward Nick Robertson to Utah in exchange for Jack McBain. McBain, who has one year remaining on his contract at $1.59 million per season, would likely slot into Toronto’s third-line center position.

Drafted 63rd overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, McBain had a solid performance last season, tallying 8 goals and 18 assists for 26 points in 67 games.

On the other hand, Robertson would bring additional scoring power to Utah, fitting well into their top six. Last season, Robertson recorded 14 goals and 13 assists, totaling 27 points in 56 games.

Maple Leafs GM Envisions Big Role For Robertson

Although Nick Robertson has requested a trade from the Maple Leafs, Toronto is not obligated to honor that request.

On July 1, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving expressed his belief that Robertson remains a valuable asset for the team. “I’m aware there’s been some frustration with Nick, but we see him as an excellent player,” Treliving said. “There’s a significant opportunity for him here, and we need him to be a strong contributor.”

Robertson’s frequent status as a healthy scratch and his lack of consistency contributed to his trade request. As a restricted free agent, he can receive contract offers from other teams, but Toronto retains the right to match any offer he receives.

Utah Was Active This Offseason

Utah, having recently relocated from Arizona and with a new owner in charge, was notably active this offseason.

The team made significant moves by trading for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino, while also adding key free agents like Kevin Stenlund and Ian Cole, and re-signing Sean Durzi. Following these moves, Utah GM Bill Armstrong is optimistic about the upcoming season. “We’re going to have nights where we look like world-beaters with our young players leading the way, and other nights where we might face some challenges,” Armstrong said. “But if we can improve our consistency and enhance our penalty kill, it should be an exciting year.”

Head coach Andre Tourigny echoed Armstrong’s sentiments, praising the offseason work. “I think Bill and his team did a fantastic job addressing our needs and reinforcing the strengths of the rest of the team,” Tourigny commented.

Utah will kick off the 2024-25 season with a home game against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 8.