The Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to address their forward group this offseason, but one trade pitch has them acquiring two forwards from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquire two forwards and a draft pick from the Penguins.
Maple Leafs receive:
Lars Eller
Matt Nieto
2027 third-round pick
Penguins receive:
Nick Robertson
Pontus Holmberg
This proposed deal would have both Toronto and Pittsburgh swapping two forwards, with the Maple Leafs also receiving a draft pick. The Penguins would acquire Nick Robertson, an RFA who has informed the Maple Leafs that he has no plans to re-sign with the team. Last season, Robertson recorded 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 56 games with Toronto.
Pontus Holmberg, meanwhile, played in 54 games, recording 7 goals and 10 assists for 17 points with the Maple Leafs last season. Robertson and Holmberg would likely slot in as middle-six forwards for the Penguins.
For the Maple Leafs, acquiring Lars Eller, who won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018, would add valuable experience. Eller has one year left on his two-year $4.9 million deal and would project to be Toronto’s third-line center. Last season, he recorded 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points in 82 games.
Matt Nieto would be a fourth-line left winger or an extra forward in Toronto, adding veteran presence. Nieto has played in 673 NHL games, recording 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points in 22 games last season.
Robertson Has Asked for Trade From Maple Leafs
The main player in the proposed deal is 22-year-old Nick Robertson, who was drafted 53rd overall by the Maple Leafs in 2020. Despite showing flashes of potential, Robertson hasn’t been given a consistent chance to be an everyday player, leading him to request a trade as he has no plans to re-sign with the Maple Leafs.
Although Robertson has requested a trade, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has expressed confidence in Robertson’s potential and importance to the team.
“I have certainly known that there was some frustration with Nick, but we look at Nick as an excellent player,” Treliving said to the media on July 1. “There is great opportunity for Nick here. We need him to be a good player for us. I am not going to get into any speculation or public back-and-forth. We will just leave it at that and continue to move forward.”
Robertson has skated in 87 NHL games, recording 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points.
Penguins GM Drafted Robertson & Holmberg
Kyle Dubas, the current general manager of the Penguins, was previously the GM of the Maple Leafs. Dubas was part of the front office that selected Holmberg in 2018 and Robertson in 2020. Given Dubas’ familiarity with both players, he would get them back in his system while also achieving his goal of making the Penguins younger.
“That is what anchors our decision-making, how can we be competitive now but also be ensuring that we aren’t just layering quick fix on top of quick fix and then that leaves the Penguins in bad shape for the long run. That’s been the full objective,” Dubas said.
The Penguins failed to make the playoffs in the 2023-24 NHL season, finishing with a 38-32-12 record.
Cole Shelton covers the NHL for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, with bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network, and more. More about Cole Shelton.
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