**Maple Leafs’ Forward Requests Trade, Won’t Re-Sign**
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson has requested a trade, according to NHL insider Chris Johnston. Robertson, a pending restricted free agent, completed his three-year, $2.56 million entry-level contract after being drafted in 2019. As free agency approaches on July 1, Robertson has informed Toronto that he does not intend to re-sign and has asked to be traded.
“Sources say that RFA Nick Robertson has no plans to re-sign with the Leafs this summer and has informed the team that he would like to be traded,” Johnston reported.
Robertson has struggled to secure a regular spot in the lineup, playing just 56 games last season, a career-high, but appearing in six of the seven playoff games. He scored 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in the regular season but was scoreless in the playoffs.
Drafted 53rd overall in the 2019 NHL draft by Toronto, the 22-year-old Robertson had not engaged in contract discussions with the Maple Leafs during the season. In an April 11 Q&A with Sportsnet, Robertson expressed that he was not worried about negotiations and was focused on playing.
“Nothing major. It’s my first [negotiation]. I can’t say I’m worried about it now; I don’t even know how this process works. But I haven’t heard anything. I just play. It’s kind of nice knowing that (my agent will deal with it), though. I want to play and let him worry about that,” Robertson said.
Robertson emphasized his desire to concentrate on his performance rather than contract talks during the season. “That’s something that I’m gonna figure out, how I take it during the summer. I’ll want to know what will be going on, but for now I’m just worried about how I’m playing. I’m not even worried about tomorrow. I’m worried about today,” he said.
Robertson has played in 87 NHL games, recording 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points.
**Toronto Re-Signs Max Domi**
On June 30, the Maple Leafs re-signed Max Domi to a four-year deal worth $3.75 million per season. Domi initially joined Toronto on a one-year, $3 million deal on July 2, 2023, and scored 9 goals and 38 assists for 47 points in 80 games in his first season. Over his career, he has played in 661 regular-season games, amassing 130 goals and 287 assists for 417 points.
Following Domi’s re-signing, the Maple Leafs enter free agency with just over $12 million in cap space but still need to address key free agents like Tyler Bertuzzi, Chris Tanev, Joel Edmundson, and Ilya Lyubushkin.
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