Maple Leafs Coach Drops Honest Opinion on Nick Robertson

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson’ seem to finally be at peace.

From July 30 through training camp, Rorbertson's journey has been a true rollercoaster ride. Nonetheless, it's fair to say that everything he did (from requesting a trade to finishing with signing a one-year contract extension ) has paid off.

That's because Leafs' head coach Craig Berube confirmed that the young forward will be part of the final roster for the 2024–25 season as a member of Toronto's bottom-six forwards.

“Robertson, I knew he was skilled, fast, could shoot,” Berube said before the Leafs' final exhibition on Saturday, via Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. “What surprised me about him is his work ethic and his competitiveness have been excellent.

"That’s what is going to make him a real good player in this league.”

Robertson’s standout performances during the preseason, including a two-goal game against the Detroit Red Wings, helped solidify his place on the team after a summer full of rumors.

Despite dealing with an upper-body injury late in camp that left him out of Saturday's matchup, Robertson participated in practice and remains optimistic about being ready for the Leafs' season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on October 9.

"Just anticipation, especially in Montreal too, it’s going to be exciting," Robertson said on Saturday knowing he'll make a season-opening roster for the first time in his NHL career, via TSN's Mark Masters . "It’s my job to carry that into the season"

In 56 games last season, Robertson recorded 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points, but this will be another prove-type season for him as he's only under contract for the 2024-25 season.

Leafs general manager Brad Treliving also praised Robertson’s all-around play at the end of camp and heading into the regular season debut against the Habs.

“He has been really good defensively, killing penalties, and also producing offensively with goals," Treliving said while appearing on Sportsnet 590 The FAN on Friday . "The speed is excellent, and he has a great shot. He is using skill and his feet really well. Again, he is responsible defensively, which is great to see.”

Related: Maple Leafs' Coach Hints at Final Roster Decisions