Nick Robertson’s contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Penguins is over, and the deal he landed says plenty about how the team views him.
The former Maple Leaf agreed to a two-year contract worth $3.25 million per season after settling his arbitration case, according to Elliotte Friedman. That ends the uncertainty around the 24-year-old winger’s immediate future and gives Pittsburgh a clear answer on one of its younger forwards.
Robertson earned $1,825,000 last season, so this is a notable raise. It also comes after a year that was solid, but not exactly eye-catching: 32 points, including 16 goals, in 78 games with the Penguins.
The numbers tell the story in more than one way. Robertson also finished at minus-13, which tempers the optimism a bit. Still, the Penguins are clearly willing to pay for what they believe is still coming, not just what he already produced.
His skating and shot have long been part of the appeal. What still has to catch up is the consistency, along with the details in his game away from the puck. He did chip in twice on the power play, and a bigger role there could help unlock more offense.
The two-year term is just as revealing as the salary. It functions like a classic prove-it deal, one that gives the player a chance to show he can earn something much bigger when the next negotiation arrives.
At this price point, limited minutes and a small role no longer really fit the picture. Robertson now has to push for more, especially in the top nine.
From Pittsburgh’s side, it’s a sensible middle ground: a young forward locked in without a long-term commitment that could become a burden later. For Robertson, the next two seasons are the whole game. He can turn this into a bargain for the Penguins, or he can make it another contract they end up having to manage.
And with that arbitration case settled, the focus naturally shifts to Montreal and Kirby Dach. His hearing is still ahead, but Robertson’s deal is another reminder that plenty of these situations get resolved before anyone actually steps into the hearing room.
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Canadiens Just Added A Young Defenseman Fans Will Want To Track
The Canadiens have quietly added another name to their defensive pipeline, with Kent Hughes signing Konyushkov and keeping the young blueliner on loan in the KHL for another year before he makes the jump to North America. It is the kind of move Montreal has leaned into as it tries to stock the blue line with players who can grow into NHL roles without being rushed, and this one comes with a profile that has already started to draw attention.
Konyushkovs game and offensive touch have drawn comparisons to Alexandre Carrier, which gives Canadiens fans a pretty clear idea of the type of defender Montreal thinks it may be getting down the road. If he develops the way the organization hopes, he could eventually fit into a similar role on the right side of the blue line, giving the team another mobile, puck-moving option to track closely over the next year. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Have Already Drawn A Hard Line With Kirby Dach
Peyton Krebs new four-year, $18 million deal in Buffalo has quickly become a useful marker in the Kirby Dach negotiations, and it gives Montreal a pretty clear reference point as the sides head toward arbitration. Krebs had the healthier, fuller season, playing all 82 games with 39 points and a plus-13 rating, while Dachs year was interrupted by injuries and produced 15 points in 37 games with a minus-2 mark.
The Canadiens have already put down a $4 million qualifying offer, and the July 30 arbitration hearing is now looming as the next real checkpoint. For Montreal, the hard part is balancing Dachs upside against what he has actually been able to deliver lately, and the comparable on Krebs suggests the club may not be inclined to budge much from its current line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Still Feel The Sting Of One 2007 Draft Decision
The Canadiens 2007 draft class still stands as one of the franchises most consequential, and not just because of the names they kept. Montreal came out of that year with Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban, but the decision that continues to linger is the one that sent Ryan McDonagh away before he ever played a game for the team. It was the kind of move that looked like a roster shuffle at the time and has only grown heavier with hindsight.
McDonagh went on to become a fixture in the NHL, later wearing the captains letter with the Rangers and helping Tampa Bay win two Stanley Cups, while the Canadiens return in the deal never delivered the same kind of stability. Scott Gomez arrived with plenty of pedigree, but his time in Montreal never matched the expectations attached to the trade, and the organization eventually moved on. For a franchise that got so much right in that draft year, this one still reads like the missed branch in the road. [Read more 🡒]