Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson files for salary arbitration

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Holding on to Nick Robertson could get expensive for the Maple Leafs.

The restricted free agent winger was among 11 National Hockey Leaguers filing for salary arbitration on Saturday. Robertson made $875,000 US last season and was qualified by the club this week at $918,750 to retain negotiating rights.

But the 23-year-old, who had 15 goals and seven assists last year in 69 games, with a goal and helper in three playoff appearances, went the arbitration route. The Leafs have looked for consistency from him after finally overcoming a series of injuries and Robertson rescinding a summer trade request. But he also sat long stretches, only to show a penchant for scoring in his first game back to tantalize the team about his potential.

At the end of the season, general manager Brad Treliving said Robertson’s quick and hard release was a skill the Leafs still coveted, especially as they’ll look for more goals with Mitch Marner’s departure for Vegas.

Arbitration hearings will be held July 20-Aug. 4 and though the judge can award a one- or two-year contract, the parties can negotiate any deal right up to the hearing date to avoid the process. If the award exceeds $4.85 million a year, the team can walk away and the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Others whose filings were announced Saturday include three Winnipeg Jets; Morgan Barron, Dylan Samberg and Gabriel Vilardi, Lukas Dostal and Drew Helleson, of the Anaheim Ducks, Seattle’s Kaapo Kakko, Arvid Soderblom, of Chicago, Jayden Struble from Montreal, former Leaf Conor Timmins with the Sabres and Maksim Tsyplakov, of the New York Islanders.

The deadline for club-elected salary arbitration is Monday at 5 p.m. ET.

Lhornby@postmmedia.com 

On X: @sunhornby

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