Brad Treliving gets real about Nicholas Robertson's scoring slump.

The Maple Leafs have taken a big hit to their forward group in recent weeks in the form of injuries and a suspension in the case of forward Ryan Reaves, which in theory should open up opportunities for some other forwards in the organization to step up and get a few moments to shine.

That has indeed been the case for the likes of Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin, both of whom performed admirably when put into a tough spot, but one name that has been notably quiet during this period is that of forward Nicholas Robertson.

You would think that this would be an ideal time for Robertson to finally take the step forward that he clearly feels he is capable of, but when it comes to the scoresheet Robertson has largely been a ghost. Robertson has produced just a single goal over his 17 games this season and, despite some clear holes in the lineup as of late, Robertson has failed to step up and produce when it matters most.

This from a player that demanded a trade over the summer due to a perceived lack of opportunity with the Maple Leafs.

Recently National Hockey League insider Pierre LeBrun had a chat with Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving and one of the topics that was broached was that of Robertson's recent slump. Although Treliving did admit he would like to see more out of Robertson, he did admit that he has been happy with the progress the forward has made this season.

"You can say he’s struggling because there’s (no) production — the puck hasn’t gone in — but if his game was exactly the same as it was but a few more pucks had gone in, people would say Nick’s playing well," said Treliving as per The Athletic. "Nick has taken massive steps in his overall game — his checking game, his play away from the puck."

Treliving did admit that the team wants Robertson to produce more offense but the Maple Leafs GM also suggested that Robertson is capable of bringing more to the table now than merely just offensive production.

"What we’re talking to him about is, yeah, we want production, we want everybody to score, but make sure you’ve got a backup game so that if it’s not going in for a period of time, what else are you bringing?" said Treliving. "You still got to contribute. I’ve been impressed. He works like a dog."

You have to wonder how long Treliving's patience with the player will last if he continues to fail to produce on the score sheet, and it may even be fair to wonder whether or not Robertson's future will be in Toronto if his struggles continue in spite of the fact that the team's recent troubles at the forward position should have opened a window of opportunity for him.