Are the Leafs taking a huge risk by not playing top prospect on a more regular basis?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are on a bit of a roll right now, coming off of decisive back-to-back wins over the Vancouver Canucks and the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they face a tough test in a New Jersey Devils team on Thursday night who have been lighting up just about everyone en route to 10 straight victories.
One storyline to follow with the team right now has been the inconsistent handling of Nick Robertson, who has been in and out of the lineup in recent weeks after potting a pair of goals in his season debut against the Dallas Stars in October. Even when Robertson has been in the lineup, his minutes have largely been managed and limited, which begs the question; are the Leafs taking a risk by not allowing Robertson a fair opportunity to find his NHL game?
Robertson is once again skating in extras grey on Thursday at the morning skate ahead of the Leafs/Devils clash and has now been limited to just 10 games this season. Part of the reason for his healthy scratch is his 2 goals and 3 assists. The Leafs want more production out of Robertson, who appears to be in this weird zone of being too good for the AHL, but not quite good enough for regular NHL minutes in the Leafs' top six.
Sheldon Keefe stated on Thursday that he doesn't want to sit Robertson for too many games, but he also wants to give Pontus Holmberg some NHL action, as he sees merit in having another natural center in the lineup to allow everyone else to play in their strong positions as opposed to having someone like Pierre Engvall playing center.
One has to wonder whether Robertson might be getting tired of moving in and out of the lineup rather than being allowed to either play full-time in the NHL or full-time in the AHL to continue with his development rather than just sitting in the press box. Could the 21-year-old and his agent request a trade sooner than later? If the Leafs continue this way with Robertson, it's not unrealistic to suggest that he might grow tired of waiting and may prefer to play on a team where he'll gave a more consistent level of opportunity. Players want to play and when it comes to prospects, they're always looking to increase their stock - especially towards the end of their entry-level deal, in hopes of securing a large payday right away. For Robertson, he has this season and next on his ELC. If he's not playing, chances are, his stock isn't rising - and if his stock isn't rising, it's drastically limiting his chances of a larger pay day. That might be good for the Leafs, but it's never ideal for the player.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 17 | 239 ANSWERS Are the Leafs taking a huge risk by not playing top prospect on a more regular basis? Will Nick Robertson request a trade from the Leafs if he doesn't receive more playing time? | ||
| Yes | 163 | 68.2 % |
| No | 76 | 31.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
