Recent Oilers trade indirectly gives rival Canadian team a gift

PUBLICATION

Ryan Hall
August 21, 2024 (6:54 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

The Edmonton Oilers have had a flurry of trade activity over the past week which has given the Toronto Maple Leafs a big gift in terms of value for beleaguered restricted free agent forward Nick Robertson.

Robertson continues to be a restricted free agent with the Maple Leafs and had requested a trade earlier this summer which has to materialize. With the Oilers recently acquiring Vasily Podkolzin for a 4TH round pick, it gives general manager Brad Treliving a great starting point for trade talks.

In his three years in the NHL, Podkolzin's best season was in 2021-2022 where he played 79 games, scoring 14 goals with 12 assists for 26 points and was a + 7 with 26 penalty minutes. Robertson on the other hand played 56 games last year, scoring 14 goals with 13 assists for 27 points and was a + 4 with 11 minutes and 23 seconds of ice time.

Podkolzin and Robertson were drafted in the same year though Robertson was in the second round and Vasily was in the first-round 10th pick overall.

The Maple Leafs have expressed that they will find a role for Robertson under the new head coach Craig Berube and Treliving holds high value for him, it's likely they will try to keep him and signed him to at least a one-year deal while they figure out what to do next.

It's good for the Leafs to know that he holds high value after seeing the trades the Oilers have made.