Nick Robertson on the questions surrounding him: “I don’t give a f***”

There once was a time when Nicholas Robertson was viewed by a significant portion of the Maple Leafs fan base as a potential top 6 forward for the future, but after two consecutive underwhelming seasons the hype that once followed Robertson has largely died off.

Last season Robertson was derailed by a shoulder injury, and a subsequent shoulder surgery, that limited him to just 15 NHL games in which he recorded 2 goals and added 3 assists for a total of 5 points. The hype that had followed Robertson quickly shifted to another Leafs forward in the form of Matthew Knies, a player two years younger than Robertson.

Now, a recovered Robertson will have to battle for a spot in training camp but if he's bothered about the changing perception around him he's doing a great job of hiding it.

"I know my name isn’t what it used to be," said Robertson as per The Athletic. "I don’t give a f***."

Robertson has returned to training camp determined to earn his spot on the Maple Leafs roster, and it may very well be that his confidence is bolstered by the difficult decision he made last season. Robertson elected to undergo surgery instead of letting his body heal naturally, a process that he believes gives him the best chance of being the best player he can be in the long term.

"I don’t regret it one bit," added Robertson. "It was the best decision for me. I don’t want to play hindered."

You can tell just based on the language that he is using that Robertson is fired up for this training camp and the upcoming 2023-24 National Hockey League regular season, and that can only mean good things for his team.