![October 20, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Nicholas Robertson (89) scores a goal and celebrates against the Dallas Stars during the third period at Scotiabank Arena.](https://oponame.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/TRAIKOS-Why-now-has-never-been-a-better-time-to.jpg)
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After scoring twice on his season debut — including the winner in overtime — against the Dallas Stars on Thursday, the verdict is in: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson belongs in the NHL.
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The only question is where in the NHL does he belong?
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Online with John Tavares and William Nylander? Or to Arizona on a trade for defenseman Jakob Chychrun?
With Jake Muzzin sidelined indefinitely, all signs point to the desert.
I know I know. Why would the Leafs even consider trading a 21-year-old rookie who hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential? Why move someone whose shooting and speed could make him a top-6 regular for years? Who, like his older brother, could become a 40-goal scorer?
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Well, because Robertson is a forward. And despite head coach Sheldon Keefe’s recent criticism of the team’s elite forwards, what this team needs most right now are more elite defenders. Someone who can take a tough few minutes away from Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie. Someone who can push Mark Giordano down the depth chart. Someone who is still young enough to grow with the core of the team.
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Someone like Chychrun.
The Coyotes defenseman, who is still out after undergoing wrist surgery this summer, is all the Leafs need. He’s tall, he plays with an advantage and he has an absolute cannon for a shot. Last year, he averaged a team-leading 23 minutes of ice time. Two years ago, he led all NHL defensemen with 18 goals in 56 games.
The best part is that he is only 24 years old. Even better, he still has three years left on a cap-friendly contract that carries a salary of $4.6 million. Think of it as a younger, cheaper version of Muzzin, with more benefits.
Of course, these are just some of the reasons why nearly half the league spent the first week of the season preparing trade packages for him. Interested teams include Ottawa, Edmonton, Columbus, Los Angeles and St. Louis. And with Vancouver off to a slow start and the loss of Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad to injury, the list just keeps growing.
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Still, Toronto has to be at the top of the list – for two important reasons: they have the parts to do it. And they are in a position to win right now.
According to Chychrun, who asked to be traded from the Coyotes because he doesn’t want to go through the ugliness of a rebuild, he’s looking to “move to a situation with a chance to win and a team that’s fighting for the Cup. . “That describes the Leafs more than the Senators or the Kings.
Yet where he ends up is beyond his control.
Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong, whose team is trying to sign Connor Bedard in next year’s draft, told Postmedia this week he wasn’t going to give Chychrun away for nothing. He also won’t be pressured to make a deal.
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Armstrong is in no rush to do anything. He wants a pair of first-round picks or a first-round pick and a top prospect. But he knows that the longer he waits, the better the offers will be. But he can’t wait forever.
Technically, there is no time limit. But with Chychrun closing in on a comeback, there’s a timeline to stick to.
In other words, the teams will have to present their best offers as soon as possible.
That makes this five-game road trip an important moment for Robertson. Not only does he have to show the Leafs that he’s capable of being an everyday player in the NHL, but he also has to show the Coyotes that he’s a great prospect worth acquiring.
Is Robertson plus Toronto’s 2023 first-round pick a better deal than if Ottawa gave up Tyler Boucher (10th overall in 2021) and a first-rounder? Are Edmonton ready to part ways with Philip Broberg (eighth overall in 2019) and a first-rounder? Los Angeles, which has been accumulating prospects for years, is it ready to go all-in?
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We will see. At the same time, the Leafs need to figure out Muzzin’s future – and fast.
If Muzzin returns at some point this season, you can’t trade for Chychrun without also having to return a similar salary. Muzzin has a no-trade clause, which would mean having to part ways with Alex Kerfoot ($3.5 million) in addition to any picks or prospects the Coyotes want. But if Muzzin is out for the year — and based on his concussion history and concerning comments from teammates about his future — putting him on long-term injury reserve could free up $5.625 million in cap space. .
That would allow the Leafs to hang on to Kerfoot, whose versatility at wing and center is a bonus for a team that lacks depth at center. And while losing Robertson may haunt the team down the road, it’s the price you have to pay if you want to win a championship.
And right now, the Leafs probably aren’t winning a Cup — let alone a playoff — with this defense as it’s currently constructed.
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