NHL Rumors: LeBrun on the Nick Robertson Situation

TSN: Pierre LeBrun on Nick Robertson is still hoping for a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs but things are quiet on that front. LeBrun also touches on some of the other RFAs that are unsigned.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

LeBrun: “I did make a call on Nick Robertson …”

Brian Hayes: “Okay,”

LeBrun: “… thinking you guys would happy about that.”

Hayes: “Let’s start there. Then, what do you have? What’s the what’s the latest on Nick Robertson?”

LeBrun: “Well, the latest there is that, told that he still would prefer a change of address. But that, it’s been slow going on that file. You know, he’s got a pretty powerful agent in Pat Brisson and, but checking with a couple of different people involved today, you know, he’s, you know, he’s training back home and waiting for a resolution.

But, but the process has certainly hasn’t moved along as fast, I think, as a camp would like. So we’ll see where that goes.

Jeff O’Neill: “What is he expecting Pierre? Like, I don’t like, what are the Leafs just gonna say, you gotta hang tight, and you got to wait this out? Like, how long is this, is he going to report to camp? Like, what, how, where, how far is he willing to go?

LeBrun: “Yeah, tough to say right now. And this time of year, O-dog. There’s, you know, fact, if you look at the, a lot of the unsigned RFA, there’s still quite a chunk of them.

You know, Detroit has two major stars still, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are working out together in Germany with Dallas Eakins. So that tells you maybe we’re that’s at right now. But there are a number of guys, Cole Perfetti, Dawson Mercer, a lot of RFA still unsigned, and it’s because it’s still early.

I mean, the puck doesn’t drop for real for another month. And, you know, deadlines tend to spur on signing this month. But I always caution people that a lot of these go right down to the wire, and that includes the Nicklas Roberston situation.

There’s certainly no guarantee that he actually gets moved, I mean, he doesn’t have a lot of leverage in that situation.

Jamie McLennan: “No, there’s not a lot of leverage. But we’re talking about it yesterday to Pierre is, now, here’s a guy where the left side is not super cemented within the organization for the Leafs. I mean, you’ve got players that are ahead of him, but you know, it’s not like they’re you have 20-year vets or 15-year vets, and (Matthew) Knies is ahead of him.

Bobby McCann is a guy who’s a, McMann. God, why do I butcher I apologize. Two days in a row. But I disrespected. I apologize.

O’Neill: “Jared McCann.

McLellan: “I know.”

Hayes: “Bobby McMann.

McLellan: “Bobby McMahon had a really good season last year. There was an injury. But, you know, these guys aren’t 10-year vets.

So to me, Nick Robertson, this is prime for him to try and get something done, and maybe an opportunity with a new coach, and maybe a thinner left side to really make some noise this year. Like, is that on the table?

You know, there’s, is it, is it just he wants a change of scenery and there’s, there’s nothing that can be done between, you know, the two camps?

LeBrun: “Yeah, I don’t know that nothing can be done. You, you know, you mentioned Noodles, something really important there – coaching change. Fresh start with Craig Berube. I think that’s got to play a role here if he ends up signing.

And, you know, listen, we’ve seen in this offseason players elsewhere asking for a change of scenery, and then ended up signing. Martin Necas is example number one.

Man we wasted enough oxygen talking about his trade request going into the draft in the offseason a couple of months ago, and he ended up signing a two-year deal with Carolina to stay put, because it just didn’t materialize.

I mean, you know, when you, when you’re an RFA, there’s only so much you can do. You know and so we’ll see where this goes. But again, just checking in with Robertson’s people , status quo as far as his top desire, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to happen.