"At Friday's morning skate, it was revealed by head coach Craig Berube that Robertson will sit up in the press box of Keybank Arena and be out of the Leafs lineup for the very first time this season. In his place, rookie Easton Cowan will be coming back in to play bottom-six minutes as he tries to carve out a true place to start his professional career."
"Does this signal that a trade is coming? Maybe, but probably not. Robertson just has not been as noticeable on the score sheet as he is on the ice. Through the first seven games of this season, he has earned one assist and is still shooting a whole lot with 15 shots on goal. He's doing all this whole averaging just over 11 minutes of time-on-ice."
"Berube is not giving him a whole lot of leash and going three games without a point and the last game being an embarrassment against the New Jersey Devils, something had to change. The Maple Leafs head coach did drastically change the top of the lineup, with Auston Matthews now with William Nylander and Bobby McMann, separated from Matthew Knies for the first time this season. But he was not done, and needed Robertson out and a hungry Easton Cowan to come in and potentially do some damage in Buffalo."
Nick Robertson will be a healthy scratch for Friday's game in Buffalo, with rookie Easton Cowan slotted into the bottom six to pursue a regular role. The team has explored trade options involving the 23-year-old, including an inquiry into a swap for Yegor Chinakhov. Robertson has one assist, 15 shots on goal, and averages just over 11 minutes of ice time through seven games. Head coach Craig Berube reconfigured the top line — Auston Matthews with William Nylander and Bobby McMann — and removed Robertson from the lineup after a scoreless three-game stretch and a poor showing against the New Jersey Devils.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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