Prospect Info: Nick Robertson Rookie Season potential...

Wafflewhipper

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Jan 18, 2014
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The most points in a rookie season from Matthews, Nylander and Marner is Matthews 69 pts followed by Marner/Nylander both getting 61 pts.
Matthews .84 pts per game
Marner. .79 pts per game
Nylander .75 pts per game

Not likely Nick gets a chance to pace with them three in pts per game because of his status as waiver exempt status, taxi squad players playing in a condensed schedule etc. If Nick comes to camp and dominates his wing he still might be very limited innthe amount of games he gets in. He has to be playing left wing in the top 6 to come close to the numbers our three top drafted players got their rookie years.

I guess the question is can he bump Mikheyev off the Tavares line. I am wondering if he is a better fit than Mikheyev playing Tavares left wing. Thats a battle i will be watching in camp. I don’t know how that will turn out but it will be very interesting to see. Robertson has to be playing to take that job. If Robertson somehow does accomplish bumping Mikheyev down a line then there might be a story for rookie of the year for Robertson. If he takes a top 6 spot the points will come for him and he might even be in the point range that our top three first rounders got first season.

Who thinks he can steal a top 6 spot by end of camp?

Personally I’m not sure but i will be following that closely throughout camp.
 
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Wafflewhipper

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Jan 18, 2014
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I’m not sure who he’ll be up against in the rookie class but will try assembling a list of some sort of to evaluate against.
 

ACC1224

Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
Aug 19, 2002
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With no exhibition games I would assume the lineup and combinations are already set. I guess he could play his way up the lineup at some point but I wouldn’t expect him to dress opening night.
 

Funk21

Registered User
Mar 6, 2013
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Toronto
The most points in a rookie season from Matthews, Nylander and Marner is Matthews 69 pts followed by Marner/Nylander both getting 61 pts.
Matthews .84 pts per game
Marner. .79 pts per game
Nylander .75 pts per game

Not likely Nick gets a chance to pace with them three in pts per game because of his status as waiver exempt status, taxi squad players playing in a condensed schedule etc. If Nick comes to camp and dominates his wing he still might be very limited innthe amount of games he gets in. He has to be playing left wing in the top 6 to come close to the numbers our three top drafted players got their rookie years.

I guess the question is can he bump Mikheyev off the Tavares line. I am wondering if he is a better fit than Mikheyev playing Tavares left wing. Thats a battle i will be watching in camp. I don’t know how that will turn out but it will be very interesting to see. Robertson has to be playing to take that job. If Robertson somehow does accomplish bumping Mikheyev down a line then there might be a story for rookie of the year for Robertson. If he takes a top 6 spot the points will come for him and he might even be in the point range that our top three first rounders got first season.

Who thinks he can steal a top 6 spot by end of camp?

Personally I’m not sure but i will be following that closely throughout camp.

I wish I could be this optimistic but I don’t even know if he makes the team. Or that is should he make the team straight out of camp which he is basically assured because he was kept off the USA WJC.

Personally I think the TML did him a disservice by not letting go play. Yes he could have been hurt like Dach but I think it would have been better for him to play for his country and go for a medal.

Now he hasn’t done that, essentially he has to make the team regardless of his camp because he has nowhere to play otherwise and we likely burn a year off his ELC.

We have a ton of forwards and D and with the veteran flavour of this team I would be surprised if there is room to be up there.

Hyman Matthews Nylander
Mikheyev JT Marner
Vesey Kerfoot Simmonds
Barabanov Thorton Spezza
Anderson

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Holl
Lehtonen Bogo
Dermott

Look I understand that this year is gonna be very strange because of the taxi squad but I am not in the group that believes players will soak up the professional experience. I think kids need repetition and playing time, as much as possible. We keep getting put into this cycle by pushing kids into the spotlight when they aren’t ready or so we can salvage the season so we don’t miss the playoffs and all it reeks to me of is bad asset management. We burned a year off Sandin’s, didn’t need too.

I hope the kid is a star and can put up 40+ playing in our top 9 but it’s a tall order for a 19 year old who was taken late in the second round to come in flying like that.
 
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LeafGrief

Shambles in my brain
Apr 10, 2015
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I don't see why Robertson couldn't bump Mikheyev off JT's wing. Mikheyev is a good player, but his style is so much better suited for a third line on Kerfoot's wing, giving a high speed forechecker and puck retriever to a line that's going to grind a little more than pass tic-tac-toe for goals. Tavares is already an elite puck retriever, so that line doesn't need a Hyman type nearly as much as they would be served by having another high-quality triggerman to convert the Marner feeds.

Maybe they ultimately decide that Robertson isn't ready or needs to cut his teeth lower in the lineup, but I think that stylistically it makes most sense to put the scoring winger on the line that's going to score more goals, and put the grinder on the 3rd line. I think that Robertson can do it, based purely on the fact that I hope it is so ;) .

If Robertson makes it onto JT's line within the first 10 games and stays there, I think he could crack 30 points in the 56 game season, which would be tremendous for his age. I'll save the grandiose predictions for next year!
 

Nineteen67

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Is there going to be an AHL season? Isn’t that where he needs to play if he’s not on one of the top 2 lines?
 
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ToneDog

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Jun 11, 2017
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Is there going to be an AHL season? Isn’t that where he needs to play if he’s not on one of the top 2 lines?

Agree somewhat but isn't another small, skilled winger not what we need in our top 6 ?? Keep him down or ween him in slowly in our bottom 6 and when he is ready in a year or two, one of Marner or Nylander could be moved to make room in the top 6.
 

Nineteen67

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Agree somewhat but isn't another small, skilled winger not what we need in our top 6 ?? Keep him down or ween him in slowly in our bottom 6 and when he is ready in a year or two, one of Marner or Nylander could be moved to make room in the top 6.
Would he be better suited being weened playing top line minutes in the AHL? Under normal circumstances, that’s probably what would happen.
If there is no AHL season, I don’t know what they do.
Regardless, I don’t know if it’s the right or wrong decision, I wished they would have let him play in the WJHC
 
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Mess

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Feb 27, 2002
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I love his potential but I don't see him making an impact like the big 3 did in their rookie years.

If he can provide some spark on the 3rd/4th line and pot 10-15 goals/~30 points (with some second unit PP time), I'd be pretty happy.

I'd say that's a fairly reasonable projection as I also expect him to play bottom 6 and 2nd PP unit at times in his rookie season.
 

TootooTrain

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Jun 12, 2010
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If he does dress I’d run him with Thornton

Agreed.

I don't see why Robertson couldn't bump Mikheyev off JT's wing. Mikheyev is a good player, but his style is so much better suited for a third line on Kerfoot's wing, giving a high speed forechecker and puck retriever to a line that's going to grind a little more than pass tic-tac-toe for goals. Tavares is already an elite puck retriever, so that line doesn't need a Hyman type nearly as much as they would be served by having another high-quality triggerman to convert the Marner feeds.

Maybe they ultimately decide that Robertson isn't ready or needs to cut his teeth lower in the lineup, but I think that stylistically it makes most sense to put the scoring winger on the line that's going to score more goals, and put the grinder on the 3rd line. I think that Robertson can do it, based purely on the fact that I hope it is so ;) .

If Robertson makes it onto JT's line within the first 10 games and stays there, I think he could crack 30 points in the 56 game season, which would be tremendous for his age. I'll save the grandiose predictions for next year!

Putting him with JT and Marner would only really occur in the last couple minutes of a 3rd period when down a goal. Atleast that's how I think it will go down. Tavares is incredible at those puck battles, but you still need someone flying down the wing to apply pressure. It's good to have Mikheyev there. If he goes dry with regards to both offense and defense, then I'm sure changes would occur to get him goin.

Overall I don't think Roberston tallies more than 20pts. Gotta be realistic. I'm sure alot of players will be rotated in and out due to the large amount of games in a short time. So he could very well play 2 out of 3.
 
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The Blueprint

Registered User
Dec 4, 2018
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Could see Robertson potting 20 goals even in the shortened season depending who he plays with/PP time. He has an NHL shot and knows how to find open space.

That's if he makes the team and plays 56
 

LeafChief

Matthew Knies Enthusiast
Mar 5, 2013
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Best thing for him would be for there to be no OHL season so that he could get an AHL season under his belt.

Second best thing would to have him stapled to Thornton's wing.
 
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hockeynorth

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Aug 31, 2017
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In an 82 game season I'd be hoping for a 20/20 season from him, so if he can go like 15/10 this season I'd be very happy
 

Wafflewhipper

Registered User
Jan 18, 2014
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Is there going to be an AHL season? Isn’t that where he needs to play if he’s not on one of the top 2 lines?
Depending how good he is in camp and how much we need waiver exemption players riding the cash cab. He could play Ahl also. I think he’s good enough to not and taxi squad is maybe ideal for him. See how good he manages in camp first
 
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Buds17

Registered User
Nov 29, 2015
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I like Mikheyev's chances of retaining a top six spot if he stays healthy and returns to form. I had pegged Robertson as a lineup lock after appearing in most of the play-in games. The team has since brought in a few forwards/wingers. Not as sure now that the intention is for Robertson to be a lineup fixture. Of course, things don't always go according to plan. I think he'll be fine whenever he does play.
 

TMLAM34

Registered User
Oct 15, 2020
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The fact that they didn’t let him go to the world juniors makes me think he’ll be in the lineup opening night. There is a ton of competition however so it’ll be interesting to see.

Someone who I’m really interested to see play is Vesey. That left wing spot with Tavares and Marner is open for the taking and I can see him really surprising people.
 

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