Robertson, Cowan and Hildeby are all sending urgent messages and the new GM hasn't even walked in the door yet
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Nick Robertson, Easton Cowan, and Dennis Hildeby all have the same message for the new Maple Leafs GM: Show us you care about the future.
As the Maple Leafs look towards a new season in 2026-27, there are going to be a lot of pieces who are potentially on the chopping block, or are going to be reevaluated upon the new management team coming in.
There are three players though who should be part of the festivities come next year, and with an onus on getting younger and faster; they are a pretty good bunch. But for Nick Robertson, Easton Cowan, and Dennis Hildeby there seems to be a comment theme.
Show us that you care, because we certainly do.
Robertson rejected his QO and wants to be a part of things...as long as Toronto does too
For Robertson, this is the fourth consecutive year of uncertainty and with a career year behind him and a presumed bigger pay day — the team needs to make a choice. He's still young, talented, but also frustrated.
He's likely going to want over $2-million on his next deal and while it's a lot, compared to some of the deals Toronto has signed in the past; it's worth it. You want to avoid him threatening arbitration against which will no doubt go in Robertson's favour given his career year.
Robertson is a restricted free agent so getting him locked up and drowning the chance of an offer sheet before it ever had a chance to swim is priority. The team cannot afford to lose another young prospect.
So trusting and committing in him will not only make him feel more confident but shows Toronto is tired of replacing youth with a veteran charm.
32 points isn't blowing things up but for Robertson it's a great improvement while also being more physical and showing that pesky edge the Maple Leafs had hoped for when drafting him. But they can't pussyfoot around with him...it's commit or split.
Cowan's regret and Hildeby's emergence are telling the front office the game plan
Switching gears to Easton Cowan and Dennis Hildeby, the former is still clearly regretful over what he didn't do when Auston Matthews went down and is still trying to make up for it. Now with the Marlies for the playoffs, he's giving them the fighting spirit he didn't with Matthews.
Plus, it shows that these are the types of players to target. Not only young guns, but ones who are hungry and ready to help the club in any aspect. You need a few dogs up front as Matthews and William Nylander have said and Cowan is proof right there; he's got controlled recklessness.
And Hildeby is doing something similar by sending a message to the team that if they need a playoff performer — he's their guy.
Too long have the Maple Leafs been hit and miss in the postseason, but Hildeby has proven that he can come up in the clutch. Already ready for an NHL job, Hildeby is ready to take the job over someone like Anthony Stolarz; who you could trust to be healthy as far as you could throw him.
It's about telling the Maple Leafs management group that it's no more about giving the veterans and stragglers a chance. For every Max Pacioretty there's a Ryan Reaves; and both are not the solution to Toronto's problems.
But Robertson, Cowan, and Hildeby are because they are proof that the youth movement can work as long as it's given a legitimate chance.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Matthews and Nylander demanded dogs up front and the Sharks have exactly the player they had in mind
Matthews and Nylander demanded dogs up front and the Sharks have exactly the player they had in mind
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1 HOUR AGO|46 ANSWERS Robertson, Cowan and Hildeby are all sending urgent messages and the new GM hasn't even walked in the door yet Will the Toronto Maple Leafs have Cowan, Robertson, and Hildeby on the team in 2026-27? | ||