Why Nicholas Robertson could thrive under a new coach
Nicholas Robertson is coming off his first healthy NHL season and could be on cusp for a breakout campaign under new coach Craig Berube, who values his strengths.
Although he was healthy all season, Robertson suited up for 56 games with the Leafs and amassed 27 points playing a limited role in the bottom 6. Now that he's no longer being held back by Sheldon Keefe, and with Craig Berube coming into the fold, the sky is the limit for Robertson.
The RFA should be excited to work with Berube as Robertson has shown he is a straight line player with an incredible work ethic, which are characteristics that Berube very openly values.
Berube will come in and give everyone a fresh slate and a fair shot at playing, as he is a new coach that does not have any bias on any of the Leafs players yet. For Robertson, who didn't really have a clearly defined role under Keefe, he may get his opportunity under Berube.
The speedy winger will also come at a low salary cap hit, as he will be an RFA this off-season. Given the Leafs' salary cap situation, the organization may end up valuing a lot of these younger players on inexpensive deals even more than it already does.
From a Maple Leafs perspective, why would they not want to keep an NHL-ready winger, who will come in at a low cap hit and knows the team and the city well?
Robertson's only knock against him is his size, as he sits at the modest height of 5'9 and Berube is known for playing bigger and stronger players, rather than small and skilled forwards. So with that in mind, there's still some potential doubts about Robertson's standing with the team.
One thing we know for certain is that the 22-year-old Robertson will be given a fresh slate. It's up to him to decide what he does with it. If he can find ways to contribute, I don't think Berube will have any qualms with giving him opportunities and putting him in positions to succeed.
| POLL | ||
MAI 24 | 469 ANSWERS Why Nicholas Robertson could thrive under a new coach How many points will Nick Robertson put up in 2024-25 under Craig Berube? | ||
| 30 or less | 110 | 23.5 % |
| 31-40 | 156 | 33.3 % |
| 41-50 | 148 | 31.6 % |
| More than 50 | 55 | 11.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
