Leafs prospect Robertson: 'My eyes are on the NHL right now'
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson believes he's ready to take his game to the highest level.
"My eyes are on the NHL right now," Robertson said, according to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke. "If I didn’t have (a) tenaciousness in my game, I wouldn't say I'm ready right now.”
The Leafs selected Robertson with the 53rd overall pick in the 2019 draft after he tallied 27 goals and a team-high 55 points through 54 games in his sophomore season with the OHL's Peterborough Petes.
This season, Robertson took his game to new heights. The dynamic winger exploded for a league-high 55 goals - which included a 14-game goal streak - and 86 points in 46 contests, and he attributed his strong performance to being able to focus solely on his play.
"My second year, I had the pressure of the draft and the combine and interviews," Robertson said. "Whereas in my third season, I know where I am. And I know that I’m already drafted and signed. So I’m not saying I’ve got nothing to lose, but I can go out there and do my thing and be confident."
Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said in March that Robertson will get every chance to make the big club's opening-night roster next season. Meanwhile, the 18-year-old knows the Leafs have plenty of offensive depth and insists he could make an impact in a bottom-six role if need be.
“I don’t have to be a top-six player to be effective," Robertson said. "It's not just my scoring or my playmaking. It's my tenacity. It's the way I work."
The Michigan native also represented Team USA at the 2020 world juniors, contributing two goals and five points over five outings.