This was not encouraging for Nick Robertson. Not one bit. Berube didn’t even say his name.
I wondered if the Leafs would opt not to offer Robertson a qualifying offer after last season. And this only reinforces that line of thinking. Why bring back a player who doesn’t fit the coach, was mostly a scratch in the playoffs and probably isn’t thrilled to be returning to a team that doesn’t seem especially fond of him, again?
The Leafs ended up paying him $1.8 million, on a one-year deal, to return.
Berube’s response made me wonder, for the millionth time, if Robertson isn’t long for Toronto. Is there a team that wants to take a flier on him and is willing to pay him that rate?