Trade Pitch Has Maple Leafs Acquiring Former 2nd-Overall Pick

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has said the team is open to making a move, and one trade pitch has them acquiring a skilled young forward.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquire Kaapo Kakko from the New York Rangers.

Maple Leafs get:

• Kaapo Kakko

Rangers get:

• Nick Robertson
• 2026 third-round pick

The proposed deal sees Toronto and New York swap disgruntled forwards while the Maple Leafs add a third-round pick to the deal.

Kakko was selected second overall in the 2019 NHL draft but he has struggled to live up to the hype. The forward signed a one-year, $2.4 million deal with the Rangers, but he was a healthy scratch during the regular season and during the playoffs.

Last season, Kakko skated in 61 games, recording 13 goals and 6 assists for 19 points. He’s skated in 300 NHL games total, recording 57 goals and 60 assists for 117 points.

Robertson, meanwhile, was selected in the second round of the 2020 NHL draft and is an RFA. However, he, like Kakko has grown frustrated with his role, informing the Maple Leafs he won’t re-sign and asking for a trade. Robertson skated in just 56 games, recording 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points during the 2023-24 season.

A fresh start for both Kakko and Robertson could be exactly what both need to become bona fide NHL players.

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Nick Robertson Firm on Trade Request From Maple Leafs

NHL insider Chris Johnston reported on June 30, ahead of free agency on July 1, that Robertson had requested a trade from the Maple Leafs.

Speaking on TSN1050’s OverDrive on August 26, Johnston confirmed Robertson has made it clear that he wants to play elsewhere next season.

“It’s kind of at a standstill right now. My understanding is Nick Robertson’s desire to move on hasn’t changed, but the fact remains he’s a restricted free agent, he only has so many rights. Especially if he doesn’t want to sign a contract and the organization decides not to move him, really all he could do is miss time and try to put pressure on the team, that way. But obviously it comes at a cost to him, both in terms of getting up to speed in training camp and potentially playing games, and obviously a financial cost,” Johnston said.

“I don’t know how it will be resolved but as we’re getting really close to the start of September here, there doesn’t seem to be a resolution in sight and one thing (general manager) Brad Treliving said back on July 1 is the Leafs have a need for Nick Robertson. He’s got a great opportunity this season, both because of what he showed last year, the fact that you anticipate someone his age to get better, but also they don’t have as much depth at left wing as they have in some years gone by. Maybe there’s a path to rebuild things, but right now there’s not an obvious solution out there that I see,” Johnston added.

Robertson is a restricted free agent and has skated in 87 NHL games, recording 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points.

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Kaapo Kakko Frustrated With Role With Rangers

Kakko was expected to be a key part of the Rangers’ core after being drafted second overall in the 2019 NHL draft.

Yet, Kakko has had some struggles on the ice that resulted in him being a healthy scratch, which he was frustrated by during the playoffs.

“Of course, everyone wants to play. … I was not happy I [was] not in the lineup, but I still wanted to win. I was hoping the win for the team and keep going and then get back to the lineup at some point, but I can say I was not happy and I think all the guys in this room, like everyone wants to play,” Kakko said in an interview on June 4.

Despite being frustrated with his role, Kakko did sign a one-year extension with the Rangers but his name remains in trade talks.

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