Edmonton Oilers may have helped Maple Leafs solve Nick Robertson dilemma

Two trades the Edmonton Oilers recently have helped the Toronto Maple Leafs figure out how to manage their Nick Robertson case.

The Edmonton Oilers have just recently acquired Vasili Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks, however it’s what they gave up to the Canucks that is going to help the Maple Leafs figure out what they can get for Nick Robertson, which appears to be at the very least a 3rd round draft pick.

The Oilers had to make this trade as they received two offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues for Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, so the team needs to clear up salary and make roster moves if they are to try and match one or both offers. The moves the Oilers have been making have given clarity to the Leafs regarding Nick Robertson.

Edmonton traded a 2025 4th round pick to Vancouver for Vasili Podkolzin, who played most of the last two seasons in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks. He has played in 137 NHL games, where he scored 18 goals and had 35 points. Podkolzin is a first round draft pick by the Canucks in 2019, when they selected him 10th overall, so he has a ton of potential.

Vasili Podkolzin in the Hlinka Gretzky:

– 5 GP
– 8 goals
– 11 points
– Elite defense

Selected top 10 and his floor is basically Mark Stone. And the Canucks gave him up for just a 4th round pick😭pic.twitter.com/ylDUzMG2ay

— koskidaddy🇨🇦 (@TeacherofPuck) August 19, 2024

Let’s compare those numbers to Nick Robertson, who was selected much lower in the draft by the Leafs during the same year in 2019, as they chose him 53rd overall. Robertson had better NHL numbers than Podkolzin last season. With the Leafs last year, Robertson played in 56 games and scored 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points. He has played in a career 87 NHL games and scored a total of 17 goals and 34 points.

Nick Robertson gains the zone with speed and snipes home a beauty, bringing Toronto within 2!#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/3ZbSRuXto6

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 14, 2024

Nick Robertson requested a trade from the Maple Leafs in June and also said he has no plans to sign a contract extension, which would explain why he is still a restricted free agent (RFA) at the moment. GM of the Leafs Brad Treliving feels that Robertson would be able to excel in Toronto now that they have a new head coach in Craig Berube , and now that Tyler Bertuzzi is no longer on the team. The Leafs have not added any replacements for him, therefore Robertson could likely fit in quite nicely in his replacement role and get a lot more playing time.

Training camp is rapidly approaching and there will be a resolution sooner rather than later to this whole Nick Robertson fiasco. But thanks to the Oilers latest moves, Brad Treliving now knows at the very least what his player is worth, and will make the necessary moves if and when the time is right.