Could Offer Sheet Be Coming for Nick Robertson? Would Maple Leafs Match?

With the continued 'holdout' of disgruntled Toronto Maple Leafs RFA Nick Robertson (who is remaining steadfast about his refusal to sign a new contract with the team), we have to consider the possibility that a rival team will come in with an offer sheet.

In fact, we have a suggestion from Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now that the Penguins would be the logical outfit to do that. Kyle Dubas, their GM, was the man who drafted Robertson back in 2019 (2nd round, 53rd overall), and is said to be a fan of his, despite the 22-year-old's inability to consistently crack the Maple Leafs lineup (much of that was due to injuries, however).

The Penguins could offer-sheet him. Anything below $2.29 million will cost the offering team only a third-rounder.

That is certainly one way for Robertson to find a new home. But the Leafs, apparently, aren't ready to give him up for that small a return.

"Our industry sources in Toronto believe Toronto GM Brad Treliving would match a $2.29 million offer in order to effect a better trade," writes Kingerski.

In that case, the beat writer suggests offering a 'separate' (nudge, nudge, wink wink) trade of Cody Glass for "future considerations", then proceeding with an offer sheet that Toronto won't match.

This way, the Leafs get that third-rounder in return for the offer sheet signing, plus an NHL asset in Glass, the former No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.

Glass struggled last year in Nashville, playing only 41 games with 13 points, but the year before, he was a viable secondary scoring option in the bottom-six with 14 goals and 35 points.

It's an interesting scenario, and would get the Leafs out of their Robertson dilemma, while landing the Penguins a player they covet.