Q&A: How Nick Robertson found peace on the Maple Leafs’ lineup bubble

TORONTO — No one bounces back from a healthy scratch better than Nick Robertson.

Maybe that’s partly because he’s used to it. But once you speak with him, you realize there’s something deeper at work here than extra rest or lineup-card revenge.

On four occasions this season — far and away Robertson’s best as an NHLer — the Toronto Maple Leafs left wing has responded to a scratch by sniping a goal in his very next appearance in the lineup. (Only Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev has accomplished the same feat.) Happened again Tuesday in New Jersey.

Among all Maple Leafs, the 22-year-old ranks second only to superstar Auston Matthews (1.83) in goals per 60 minutes (1.33). He rates 17th league-wide in the category (minimum 20 games played), despite minimal power-play looks.

Robertson also ranks fifth on the Leafs in points per 60, trailing only the rich and talented, and he has more total goals (13) than Max Domi, Calle Järnkrok, David Kämpf and each of the D-men, despite seeing less ice time.

“He has given us everything he has on every shift. He works very hard. He is competing,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe says. “He is scoring when he gets his opportunities. I think he recognizes opportunities are harder to come by. But when he has gotten them, he has made good on them. If you just look at the last [three] goals he scored, he has scored goals where it is kind of his only scoring chance of the game. They go in. That is the ability that he has.”

And yet despite Robertson’s knack for the net — and Toronto’s well-documented history of craving secondary scoring come post-season — the kid will be plopped back in the press box for Game 1 next week if everyone is healthy. (With reasonable argument.)

“That [scoring] is great to see, and it is a great contributor to our team. But there is a lot more that goes into it shift-to-shift and play-to-play. You have to be able to carry play. You have to be relied on. You have to be able to find your way through the rest of the depth chart,” Keefe explains.

“I guess I would put all of our young players into that category. We are a team that hopes to compete for a Stanley Cup, and we have four first-year forwards who have played quite a bit in our lineup. I don’t think many teams would have that be the case. Those guys have grown a lot within our team, and that has been a real positive. They have taken steps.

“[Robertson] becomes a good option for us in this playoff. But perhaps more importantly, he becomes a guy who is going to grow within our team in the big picture.”

That didn’t always feel like the case.

On and off the ice, Robertson has shown impressive resilience this season, the final year of his contract, as he’s ricocheted in and out and up and down the lineup.

Because he doesn’t require waivers, he started the season with the Marlies, then got pushed back down mid-season when GM Brad Treliving was under a cap crunch. Moreover, he has stayed healthy, crushing a pro-career high of 61 games played.

Perhaps more noticeable than Robertson’s rebound goals, though, is his positive attitude and clear mindset when he’s not dressed to rip the puck.

We stopped by Robertson’s stall, on the edge of the Maple Leafs dressing room, and he generously opened up about why and how his mental approach has shifted for the good.

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(This Q&A is lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)

SPORTSNET: How are you feeling these days?

Nick Robertson: Feeling good about my game.

SN: Even with the uncertainty of your spot in the playoff lineup?

NR: It’s like the [trade] deadline stuff, where I couldn’t play because it’s just not in my control. That is out of my control, too. Obviously, I’m working to be in the playoff lineup. Everyone wants to be in the playoff lineup. Anyone here is capable of doing so; it depends on what the coach wants and what the team needs. And, hopefully, I’m part of that. I’m confident in my game to enter the playoffs now. I mean, I hope to be in the lineup, but I’m just happy with my game now. I don’t feel so much pressure. I’m so numb to all this. I go out there and play and have fun. Just enjoy this time of year. This season, I’m enjoying every moment, even when I wasn’t playing. I’m enjoying being around the guys. When I’m enjoying, keeping the game simple, I’m not worried about those things. I play better.

SN: It wasn’t always like that for you, though. You were harder on yourself, more concerned about your situation.

NR: No, it was tough. But now when you get on a roll, you start playing consistently, you’re producing, you’re feeling good. You got other young guys around. Makes it easy day-to-day, and I can just go out there and have fun and play.

SN: Where have you taken the biggest strides?

NR: Just being relaxed and calm. When you’re yourself off the ice and on the ice, in practice, you can play better. I’m older. I’m healthy. But even having young guys like Kniesy [Matthew Knies], having a group of guys really helps, especially on the road. We just joke around and relax. Be yourself. And in years prior, it was hard because I was in and out, and I got injured and didn’t really have time to be around the guys. This year, we’ve got a little younger team, so that makes it easy. It’s not like my skill drastically changed. It’s always been there. It’s just more of a comfortability and ease of mind going out there.

SN: So, the organization gave extensions to Bobby McMann and Simon Benoit. How does a commitment to some role players effect the room?

NR: I don’t really know how to answer that one. But I know that it’s good to know that your buddies will be around. So, that’s a positive. And Benny and Bob are part of our young-guy group anyway. We’re just happy for them. It’s good to have them on board. I guess it is good from the standpoint of just knowing that we’re gonna have a lot of guys on RFAs who are going to be here.

SN: You turn RFA this summer. Any talks yet?

NR: No. Nothing major. It’s my first [negotiation]. I can’t say I’m worried about it now; I don’t even know how this process works. But I haven’t heard anything. I just play. It’s kind of nice knowing that [my agent will deal with it], though. I want to play and let him worry about that.

SN: How much do you care about being involved? Some athletes want to learn that side of the business. Others are like, “Don’t tell me anything till it’s done.”

NR: That’s something that I’m gonna figure out, how I take it during the summer. I’ll want to know what will be going on, but for now I’m just worried about how I’m playing. I’m not even worried about tomorrow. I’m worried about today. My mindset changed to the point where I’m not thinking about everything around the business of the game. I can just worry about myself. I’m going to enjoy and be grateful and blessed to have this opportunity.

SN: Is that simply learning from experience? Or did someone give you advice?

NR: Honestly, personally, going deep telling you: I found a really deep relationship with the Lord. It’s something I resorted to, given my struggles over the years. Especially this year, when I got sent down after camp. I was surrounded by Josiah Slavin [Marlies forward and younger brother of Carolina’s Jaccob]. He’s a Christian on the Marlies. To brief it up, just finding a strong connection with the Lord and building a strong relationship with him. I’m putting all my worries in him and going out there and doing what I can. Just playing. Honestly, he’s brought me so much peace away from the game. And, obviously, it helps you.

SN: Do you go to church regularly?

NR: I’ve always gone at Easter, Christmas, the usual. But now, every Sunday, I go down to the Capstone Community Bible Church near Etobicoke.

SN: Is your family religious?

NR: We were raised Catholic, but I’m Christian now. Yeah, I was around it. But part of it’s like, I just have Christians around me; family friends are chaplains, and teammates, specifically Slavin. Because when I was under stress and under tough times, I resorted to him and his knowledge on that and studying the Bible more often. I read it almost every day. It brings me peace of mind. So, that’s the personal side of it I can share with you that changed the course of where my career was at three, four months ago.

SN: Did you approach Slavin? Or did he sense you were struggling?

NR: I approached him. I just had a curiosity and was reading the Bible. My girlfriend is Christian, too. So, under this tough time, stressful time, I’m always trying to find ways to get the best training, eat the best way. But the one thing is like, I was so desperate, I just needed to get to know the Lord. And it shifted everything: how I am as a person, how I can relax, have fun. And it’s definitely helped.

SN: Thanks for sharing that, Nick.

NR: Yeah, I appreciate it.

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