Keefe asked point blank about scratching Robertson for a 4th straight game, but refuses to answer; do the Leafs have a trade incoming?

Robertson has not played since the Leafs beat the Vancouver Canucks back on November 12th, despite looking exceptional at practice and impressing the coaching staff with his work ethic. On Monday, following the Leafs' morning skate, ahead of their matchup with the New York Islanders, Keefe was asked about his decision to scratch the young winger. Not only did he refuse to answer the question, he also provided a vague follow-up statement which I assume was meant to provide some comfort to those who are concerned over whether or not Robertson might be growing frustrated with the team.

There has been some speculation from within the fanbase and from the media outside of Toronto that Robertson could end up getting to the point where a trade request feels like his only option. At 21 years-of-age, he's running out of time to prove himself as a legitimate top prospect. Not only that, but he's watching some very important developmental games at the NHL level pass him by in favour of players like Alex Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall suiting up, even though Robertson is out-producing each of them as far as points-per-game is concerned.

I almost wonder at this point whether the Leafs believe that Robertson is ready to be a full-time fixture and they're currently in the process of showcasing some of their other wingers in hopes of boosting their trade value before they make a move. Typically, teams resist the urge to make a move before the 20-game mark. With that mark fast approaching, perhaps the Leafs are preparing for their first in-season trade. Not much else really makes sense at this stage of Robertson's development - unless they're holding him out of the lineup to prevent injury as they look to move him. I suppose we'll know before too long what the plan is for the 2019 2nd rounder.