Nick Robertson USA in action during the 2020 IIHF World Junior Ice hockey, Eishockey Championships quarterfinal match between USA and Finland in Trinec, Czech Republic, on January 2, 2020. CTKxPhoto/VladimirxPrycek CTKPhotoP202001020618601 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY PRY 0031
Nick Robertson USA in action during the 2020 IIHF World Junior Ice hockey, Eishockey Championships quarterfinal match between USA and Finland in Trinec, Czech Republic, on January 2, 2020. CTKxPhoto/VladimirxPrycek CTKPhotoP202001020618601 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY PRY 0031
While left winger Nick Robertson changed rosters, his latest contract reflected the sort of trust his new team, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ general manager Kyle Dubas is putting in him.
The Penguins acquired Robertson this July after the 5’9 Winger spent 5 years grinding at the Toronto Maple Leafs. And the Penguins' 2-year, $3.25M AAV contract to him told a bigger story than the Leafs’ 1-year, $1.82M AAV contract from last season.
“With this new contract in place, we have a better idea of what kind of player Dubas envisions Robertson to be,” wrote SB Nation’s journalist Garrett Behanna in an article published on July 15, 2026. “A top-nine forward and perhaps the latest successful reclamation project in Pittsburgh.”
OTTAWA, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: Peterborough Petes left wing Nick Robertson 16 during warm-up before Ontario Hockey League action between the Peterborough Petes and Ottawa 67 s on September 29, 2019, at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, ON, Canada. Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire OHL: SEP 29 Peterborough Petes at Ottawa 67 s PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon190929010
OTTAWA, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: Peterborough Petes left wing Nick Robertson 16 during warm-up before Ontario Hockey League action between the Peterborough Petes and Ottawa 67 s on September 29, 2019, at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, ON, Canada. Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire OHL: SEP 29 Peterborough Petes at Ottawa 67 s PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon190929010
Robertson closed the season with 16 goals, 32 points and a -13 rating across 78 games in Toronto. In 234 NHL games, he has posted 48 goals and 88 points, a pace hampered by his 11:51 average ice time.
Historically, he has been shadowed by Toronto's star wingers. Per Behanna, that’s a player who just hasn’t found enough opportunities to prove himself. But clearly Dubas was looking at the bigger picture with that $6.5M contract, expecting more minutes.
And the Penguins didn’t really have to do that. Robertson was also one of those 15 RFAs who filed for the arbitration hearing this year. The Penguins had the chance to settle for a shorter, inexpensive deal but thought against it.
However, it wasn’t really hard to see coming, given Dubas’ earlier remarks on Robertson.
Kyle Dubas Praised Nick Robertson in the Past
Before joining the Penguins, Dubas served as the Maple Leafs GM and was the one to draft Robertson as the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft. In a 2020 interview with TSN’s James Duthie, he had some honest admissions about Robertson.
“His mindset and his work ethic and his tenacity is what I think really fuels Nick on a daily basis,” he said. “I’ve never really come across a player at that age that has that same level of focus and attention to detail every single day and getting the most out of every single day.”
Dubas has kept a close look on Robertson, and despite all the roster changes, the sentiment remained the same.
At least the contract can vouch for it.
But do you think he'll be able to keep up with Dubas’ trust? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Deblina Roy