Much like the end of the postseason, the beginning of the NHL offseason has been a rollercoaster for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews and the rest of the team have been put through the wringer—and the nauseating ride seems far from over. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens appear to have things under control, only piling more pressure onto the Buds.
The Maple Leafs have yet to reach an agreement with RFA Nicholas Robertson, who filed for salary arbitration. As the Leafs must address the big void left by Mitch Marner’s departure in the top-six, they can’t take losing another young piece to their roster.
Perhaps believing Robertson can blossom into a top-six forward is wishful thinking on Toronto’s part. Regardless, keeping him around won’t hurt. The 23-year-old isn’t exactly built to GM Brad Treliving’s preferences, yet he handles himself on the ice, and has shown much efficiency in his point production.
However, it will all be in vain if the Maple Leafs can’t come to terms with Matthews’ teammate. And the glass clock is reaching its final grains of sand. Moreover, the fact the Canadiens reached an agreement with RFA Jayden Struble—avoiding any legal trouble—only adds to the suspense in Hogtown.
Jayden Struble #47 of the Montreal Canadiens looks on against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena on March 12, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.
As reported by @PuckReportNHL on X, the Habs have signed Struble to a two-year, $2.83M deal. In doing so, Montreal avoided the salary arbitration hearing, set for August 3. That’ll no longer be necessary. Matthews and the Leafs certainly hope to share the same fate, but with every passing minute, things are looking grimmer.
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NHL News: Return to Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs reportedly the most reasonable option for former Canadiens star
Almost done
Eleven players had filed for salary arbitration in the 2025 NHL offseason. As is often the case, the vast majority signed new deals shortly after, avoiding a hearing altogether.
Now, there’s only two players who have yet to come to terms with their teams: Dylan Samberg of the Winnipeg Jets and Nick Robertson of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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.
No news isn’t exactly good news
However, even then, the Leafs once again find themselves in a less favorable position than their Canadian rivals. The Jets and Samberg have submitted arbitration filings reflecting their respective contract demands.
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As reported by insider Elliotte Friedman, Samberg is seeking a $6M deal. Meanwhile the Jets are aiming for a far more team-friendly $2.5M. While they may be far apart, at least both sides are engaged in discussions and actively seeking a solution. And that’s something that can’t yet be said for Toronto and Robertson.
