Auston Matthews has remained as captain and the biggest star of the Toronto Maple Leafs following the departure of Mitch Marner, the right wing who will continue his career with the Vegas Golden Knights. As if the offseason weren’t eventful enough, the franchise also had to resolve a tough contract negotiation.
Marner’s departure didn’t lead Toronto to pursue a splashy signing in the market. Instead, the Maple Leafs focused on a rebuild aimed at laying the foundation for a deep playoff run next season.
In that direction, Toronto had already extended contracts for two key players: John Tavares and Matthew Knies. However, one contract situation involving one of Matthews’ offensive partners remained unresolved, and it was on the verge of heading to arbitration with seemingly no middle ground in sight.
Toronto reaches an agreement and avoids arbitration
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman announced on his Twitter account (formerly X) that Toronto and Nick Robertson have reached a contract agreement worth $1.825 million per season. This deal avoids arbitration between the franchise and the right winger.
Nick Robertson #89 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL pre-season game at Scotiabank Arena on September 28, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
A tough negotiation comes to an end
Both Robertson and the Leafs were able to smooth things over, and now Toronto has secured a potential replacement for Marner. Initially, the franchise led by Matthews as captain had offered $1.2 million per year, while Robertson stood firm in his request for $2.25 million.
see also
NHL Rumors: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs could turn to Sidney Crosby’s Penguins to aid urgent need after losing Mitch Marner
The Toronto Maple Leafs had yet to reach a contract with the young forward, who had filed for salary arbitration. He was the only restricted free agent on the team without a deal. This agreement comes just ahead of the hearing scheduled for August 3.
