Despite signing a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs just yesterday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman spoke on his 32 Thoughts podcast about the possibility of forward Nicholas Robertson being traded and noted a link between Robertson and Pittsburgh Penguins’ GM Kyle Dubas.
This represents the second consecutive summer that the forward has been linked to Pittsburgh, and Friedman’s report comes just a day after Robertson and the Maple Leafs avoided arbitration with a one-year, $1.825MM contract.
“I’ve had a couple people ask me about the possibility of Nick Robertson in Pittsburgh. They got the arbitration settled on Saturday, but the Maple Leafs need to clear some bodies there. They have a lot of them,” he said. “I think that the Maple Leafs have work to do. I don’t know what their timeline is, but they need to do some things before puck drop.”
To Friedman’s point, the Maple Leafs currently have 14 forwards on one-way deals for next season. Robertson, 23, posted 15 goals and 23 points in a bottom-six role last season for Toronto. He added two points in three playoff games. He also averaged a career-high 12:00 per game of playing time.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:
- Friedman also provided an injury update on Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, who revealed after winning the Stanley Cup that he had been playing through a torn adductor muscle throughout the postseason. Friedman shared his belief that Tkachuk will miss a big chunk of the regular season, but sees a path for him to be ready for the Olympics next winter. “I think (the Olympics) is a huge deal for him. But I do think he’ll miss the start of the year and a chunk of time after that,” he said. Tkachuk, and his brother, Brady Tkachuk, played a huge role in the 4 Nations Face-Off and are expected to be a focal point of the U.S team at the Olympics if healthy.
- Despite fan (and possibly league) dissatisfaction with the decentralized draft format, teams voted to continue with it in 2026. And Friedman suggests that the decision was largely driven by teams’ desire to protect their internal information. While the vote was closer this year (20-12 in favor of keeping it decentralized), Friedman isn’t convinced that additional votes will soon push for a return to the traditional draft format. “I really thought, because of how (Gary) Bettman was opening ripping the GMs about this, I thought it was going to change,” he said. “It’s obvious to me that these teams that voted to keep it the way it is really value the secrecy.”
I believe the Leafs have 15 forwards under contract…. not 14, which only makes your point more significant. There’s work to be done with moving a couple of bodies out as things currently stand
@tmlmikey — I just looked in on PuckPedia. They show 14 forwards in their list. Are you looking at a different site?
They actually have 18 forwards on one-way contracts for next season but the Leafs will probably be paying four of them $775k+ to play in the AHL. I’m not sure what the significance of Toronto having 14 forwards on one-way contracts on the roster is here?
I don’t have to watch the draft next year now. I get an extra 2 days of my life back. Thanks. Unfortunately I won’t get the 2 days I lost this year back. If you gave me an ice pick and said either watch this or stick this in your eyes I’ll be stabbing myself.
Since when have you ever had eyes to see with anyway?
The draft doesn’t need to he televised, It’s unwatchable to begin with, We can all get the results in real time.
It’s not secrecy that the GM’s value but the huge cost savings of not having their whole staff travel. And frankly, they simply don’t want to leave home for the weekend.
Bettman shouldn’t allow the GM’s to call the shots on this.
3…..2….1…. CALLED IT!!!!! Tkachuk to LTIR to put the Panthers under the cap (this is for that resident POS lightning fan lol)
Wow, predicting that a guy with long term injury and rehab is going on LTIR? You are unstoppable. That said, before you get injured patting yourself on the back, hockey followers all over the map have been saying the same thing. In fact, rumor is that many people in small Asian villages who have never heard of hockey have been making this call as well.
you’d need the backstory on this lol.. there’s a lightning fan, a massive troll on this forum.. that called me a liar over this lol
I’ve seen you ladies scratch and claw at each other over this stuff. Epic junior-high level entertainment.
haha as long as it made you smile and my panthers keep winning
Don’t care what they do with a decentralized draft, whether it be pretty low key like the MLB one or large scale like the NFL one. Just do not go back to the centralized one ever. By far the worst draft in sports.
Gbear
It’s not secrecy that the GM’s value but the huge cost savings of not having their whole staff travel. And frankly, they simply don’t want to leave home for the weekend.
Bettman shouldn’t allow the GM’s to call the shots on this.
Well, let’s unlock where your post goes off the rails. Look back to the article where it noted that teams voted for the decentralized draft. Then understand that Gary Bettman works for league ownership and is paid to carry out their wishes. So you yakking that he should not allow the GMs to call the shots is you yakking that Gary Bettman should not do what his bosses have asked him to do. Quite possibly you don’t understand the NHL hierarchy.
Elliott Friedman specifically said the cost was not an issue… but who you gonna believe… that know-nothing Friedman or Gbear? The “G” stands for genius.
I think Dog is short for Dog Whistle. The next post he makes that isn’t ripping someone will be Numero Uno. To spell it out for Dog Numero Uno means Number 1.
Gbear just echos things that he has read, He has NO insight to speak of, He never makes any predictions, He never goes out on the limb, He simply speaks to the choir.