Maple Leafs Head Coach Craig Berube Highly Critical of Nick Robertson After Loss to Caps

Nick Robertson has been given every chance to see what he can bring to the table for the Maple Leafs, first by making the opening night roster and then going on to compete in 23 of the Maple Leafs' 26 games to date.

However, with his lackluster play on Friday and head coach Craig Berube's comments afterwards, one has to wonder where the 23-year-old stands in the mind of the bench boss moving forward.

Berube has been firm but fair to everyone with the club this season. However, he has also suggested numerous times that players need to earn their spot and work to keep it.

Robertson has been a hard worker all season long, but his inability to produce much offense will not earn him much more grace than it already has.

On Friday evening against Washington, Berube sent Robertson a message by benching him for much of the 3rd period.

Earlier in the week, Berube alluded to the fact that Max Pacioretty would return as early as Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. With Berube's treatment of Robertson on Friday, Pacioretty could very well draw into the lineup replacing the youngster on Saturday.

While it's unlikely we've seen the last of Robertson suiting up for the Maple Leafs, one has to imagine that the leash that Berube and the rest of the coaching staff have given him is shortening by the day.

With the idea that his contract is one year and quite minimal, it may make sense for the Maple Leafs to make him available via trade, but the cost needs to be considered.

Reiterating that Berube is firm but fair to everyone, it is likely that Robertson is finally in the coach's doghouse.

It may just be that he needs to sit in the press box for a little while to get a better understanding of what he's missing in order to be a regular, but it may also be that Robertson isn't what everyone thought he was when the Leafs selected him in the 2nd round back in 2019.