In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll take a look at a young player who just can’t seem to get any breaks – at least not the good kind. That’s Nick Robertson. Could this be his breakout season in the NHL? He certainly has had more than his share of bad luck over the last few seasons.
Second, speaking of breakouts, could John Klingberg’s one-year deal with the Maple Leafs turn into a successful attempt to sign a bigger deal? If he does have a great season, what happens to his time with the Maple Leafs? He had a poor last season with the Anaheim Ducks, but Toronto seems like a better horse to ride than Anaheim.
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Third, I’ll share notes from a recent Rasmus Sandin interview and his surprising trade from the Maple Leafs to the Washington Capitals. I’ll also discuss the impact of his friendship with William Nylander and the bond they share. I believe there must be some lessons for players as they experience surprising trades. Specifically, I wonder if it might suggest some of the “chill attitude” Nylander has toward his contract extension.
Item One: Is this the Season Nick Robertson Breaks Out?
Whether you think Nick Robertson’s never-quit attitude is the cause of his problems or not, it’s hard not to feel bad for him. He’s faced a ton of challenges in his career. I just keep hoping that he’ll finally have a season when he isn’t hurt. I’m probably like many Maple Leafs fans in that it’s tough to know anymore what the team has with the young player.
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This is a crucial season for Robertson’s progress in the organization. He’s been a highly-touted prospect seemingly forever, but his history of injuries has thwarted his attempt to establish himself.
Robertson might have two problems that are like oil and water: he’s small, and he’s relentless. Yet, he also has an impressive shot, which Auston Matthews has called the best on the team. All this put together, he’s excelled in junior and in the American Hockey League (AHL), but he’s had no NHL impact.
His aggressive playing style seems to be a drawback because his recklessness makes him injury-prone. He also seems challenged to find the time and space on the ice to utilize his skills effectively.
Robertson will turn 22 in September. He needs to stay healthy if he’s to gain the experience he needs to adapt to the demands of the NHL. The hope is that, with time and adjustments, Robertson can reach his potential and become a successful member of the Maple Leafs.
The bottom line is that his window might be closing. This is the season when he needs to show significant improvement. He has the potential and talent to succeed, but he must overcome his personal obstacles. Will this be the season he refines his game enough to reach his potential in the NHL?
Item Two: If John Klingberg Is Successful, Will He Leave Toronto?
A lot can change in a year. Ask John Klingberg. The Swedish defenseman signed a one-year contract with the Maple Leafs, but it wasn’t supposed to be that way. Last offseason, he was looking for a long-term deal. While he could have signed with the Dallas Stars, the team he had played with for eight seasons, his agent advised him to turn it down. Klingberg did just that and ended up signing a $7 million one-year deal with the Ducks.
That agent has since been replaced, which might tell you all you need to know about how Klingberg feels about the advice he was given. Instead of an eight-year contract offer worth $7 million AAV, Klingberg’s camp wanted eight years at $8 million. He didn’t get it, and now he’s in Toronto.
The narrative was that Klingberg bet on himself, but I think it was more a case of him trusting his agent. In the end, the agent guessed wrong about the market for his client’s services. Given the potential for Klingberg to score 50 points, he could easily sign with another team for a bigger and longer contract after 2023-24. There are several reasons scoring 50 points is not unreasonable.
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First, Klingberg has a history of putting up points in the NHL. He’s hit the 30-point mark in every season of his career. If he gets time on the power play, that would be a huge factor. His solid offensive production would be a valuable addition to the team, especially at the modest cost of $4.15 million.
There’s an incentive for him to perform at a high level and prove his value. Sure, he might re-sign with the Maple Leafs, but it’s unlikely.
It makes me wonder about the number of Maple Leafs players on one-year contracts. It seems smart if this is the season they make a run at the Stanley Cup, but if that fails, and the players all have good seasons – which is not out of the question given the offensive firepower they are partnering with – they might play themselves out of contracts in Toronto.
If all the newcomers have great seasons, which of them stays? My money is on Max Domi.
Item Three: Rasmus Sandin Surprised By Trade
Former Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin was surprised by the trade that sent him to the Capitals in exchange for Erik Gustafsson and a first-round pick. In a recent interview, Sandin shared that (after signing his two-year contract with the team) he expected to be a long-term member of their defensive lineup. He certainly didn’t request the trade.
Sandin also discussed his strong friendship with fellow Swede William Nylander. They have a bond that became evident after they were seen walking arm-in-arm after both learned about the trade. Sandin and Nylander have found it strange not having their closest friend on their team anymore.
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Still, Sandin has great memories of his time in Toronto. He appreciated the passionate fanbase and the experience of playing in a major NHL market. He also mentioned that he learned at least one valuable lesson in his time in the Ontario capital: the ability to block out external distractions and focus on his game.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
As I was thinking about Sandin and Nylander’s friendship and the potential to be surprised by a trade at any time, it made me wonder if the experience made Nylander even more “chill”. He always seemed a little detached from what gave others angst, and he lost his closest friend on the team. Does such an experience make Nylander even more carefree regarding potential trades?
Perhaps it gave him a more pragmatic understanding of the NHL’s business nature, of what he can control, and a stronger sense of his ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
I often wonder if our hope that players sign team-friendly contracts flies in the face of their experience as professional athletes. Time after time, they see a team trade away a best friend. I would suppose that it can make a player more resilient and professional, which might translate into less willingness to consider the needs of the organization before their own.
