Maple Leafs have unique opportunity to bring a highly-touted Ontario prospect home

Toronto has yet to sign RFA Nick Robertson, who publicly expressed his desire to leave the team earlier this summer. Instead of potentially watching Robertson sit for an entire season, it might be time to trade the disgruntled forward, along with some additional pieces, for another unsigned RFA in Winnipeg in Perfetti.

The Jets have yet to sign Perfetti, who is one year younger than Robertson and has a much higher upside as a former 10th overall pick. Both players showed considerable potential last season as Perfetti reached a career-high 19 goals and 19 assists for 38 points in 71 games, while Robertson, despite a season of being placed in and out of the line-up, scored 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 56 games.

Although it's unclear if the Jets are willing to trade Perfetti, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving would be doing his team a disservice by not at least reaching out to the Jets to explore this unique possibility. Perfetti, a native of Whitby, Ontario, might have added motivation to join the Maple Leafs being from a neighboring city.

Something that might work for the Jets as a potential return could be:

Maple Leafs send:

(RFA) Nick Robertson
1st round pick in 2027
3rd round pick in 2026

Jets:

(RFA) Cole Perfetti
3rd round pick in 2025

Such a move would allow the Leafs to add a pick in next summer's draft, which would be beneficial, considering they only have 1 pick in the first 4 rounds next summer. They'd also add a player in Perfetti who has a very bright future in the NHL, and who plays a position that the Leafs could really use, as a natural center.

Meanwhile, Winnipeg could not only add Robertson to the equation, but pick up a future 1st round pick, which they can use to either select a player of their liking in 2027 or use as a trade chip at the deadline to acquire some help before the playoffs.

Sure, this may be a long shot, but hey -- stranger things have happened.

Source: HockeyDB
Nick Robertson

Source: HockeyDB
Cole Perfetti