Former Top Leafs Prospect Upset With Brad Treliving Over Usage This Season

PUBLICATION

Graham Montgomery
March 11, 2024 (10:33 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

The Toronto Maple Leafs have long been a team with salary cap problems. This season has been especially bad as the team has made minor moves in an effort to save every penny. Now one of their young players is reportedly growing increasingly upset at the way he's been treated.

Robertson Frustrated With Leafs Over Salary Cap Moves

The player involved is none other than Nick Robertson. Given how often he is in the news, one might think this is a 24 or 25 year old regular player in the NHL. However, Nick is still just 22 years old and he's at the point in his development where he should eb a full-time NHLer. However, due to the Leaf's salary cap situation, he has been sent down repeatedly this season. After his callup today, he revealed that this has been weighing on him.

"I understand it but I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm happy. I want to play, but I understand my contract situation. Obviously, if it wasn't the way it was maybe it would be a different situation but it is what it is."

The rookie forward went on to specifically mention his situation with regards to waivers. Due to his waivers-exempt status, he has been placed on waivers and recalled from the AHL more than any other Leaf this season.

"I've been in plenty of situations before where waivers have kind of screwed me. I'm numb to it. I've had to be in situations where I've had to find my way back and stuff. But like I said, I'm not happy about it. I want to be in the lineup. It is what it is. I just manage it and wait for my name to be called."

That trend continued today when the team recalled him yet again.

Leafs Fulfill Promise To Robertson With Post Trade Deadline Callup

This morning the Leafs called Robertson back up to the NHL. This was a promise that Brad Treliving made to the youngster when he sent him down prior to the deadline in a move that was intended to give the team a little more cap room to work with.

However, the team did not actually have enough cap room to make the callup normally. As a result, the team had to move defenseman Mark Giordano from injured reserve to LTIR.

It is not clear when Giordano will be good to return, nor what the Leafs will do in that situation. Robertson could very well find himself being sent down again for cap reasons should Giordano return prior to the end of the regular season. We will just have to wait and see how the team handles that situation.

As seen on Leafs' rookie is not happy with GM Brad Treliving