Nick Robertson wasted no time making his new team look smart and his old one look a little uneasy.
The 25-year-old winger, traded by the Maple Leafs this past summer to the Kyle Dubas-ran Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth-round pick, opened his Penguins account in style on Wednesday night against the Flyers in Philadelphia. Pittsburgh rolled to a 7-0 win, and Robertson was right in the middle of it from the start.
His first goal as a Penguin came early, and it set the tone for the night.
And just like that Nick Robertson has his first goal as a Penguin!!! 🐧 #NHLFaceOff
📺: @NHL_On_TNT & @streamonmax ➡️ https://t.co/3FhOPUDkba pic.twitter.com/nBtUxFO7cf
- NHL (@NHL) September 30, 2026
It wasn’t the kind of clean finish Robertson sometimes flashed in a Toronto sweater, but it counted all the same. Then came another one, this time a shorthanded goal that banked in off Flyers goalie Dan Vladar’s skate.
Lucky? Absolutely.
But it still went on the board, and it gave Robertson two goals in his first game that counts with Pittsburgh.
Nic Robertson with his SECOND GOAL in his Penguins debut!
It's the first short-handed goal of his career 👏
(via @tntsports) pic.twitter.com/BGbjCGeiEH
- TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 1, 2026
That’s the part Toronto fans are left to chew on: a player the Leafs moved on from is already producing in a big spot elsewhere. Still, the question lingers whether he would have had room to do this in Toronto at all.
Robertson’s Leafs stint was always a strange fit. He wasn’t good enough to live alongside Auston Matthews on a regular basis, but the bottom six never seemed to offer enough skill to really feed his game, either. His best Toronto season was his last one, when he put up 16 goals and 32 points while averaging just 12:40 in ice time.
In Pittsburgh, he got the kind of runway Toronto never gave him. Robertson opened on Sidney Crosby’s wing on the Penguins’ top line, and he made the most of the chance immediately. The Leafs were never really willing to treat him like a top-six winger, but Pittsburgh did, and he answered.
With John Chayka’s massive turnover, Robertson needed to go. The likes of Colton Sissons, Nick Paul, Brandon Duhaime, and Teddy Blueger fit more of the identity of what they want in the bottom six. And instead of having the inconsistent shooter in Robertson as the offensive presence down there, they will either have the hardworking Easton Cowan, Jack Roslovic, or Gavin McKenna in the near future.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs New Era Gets An Early Lift Fans Needed
The Maple Leafs got the kind of early-season bounce they were looking for with a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders, a tidy result that offered some immediate relief as a new era begins in Toronto. Easton Cowan supplied one of the brighter sparks, while Colton Sissons also found the net, and Anthony Stolarz gave the club a steady night in goal with 26 saves.
There was plenty to like about the way Toronto managed the game after getting ahead, especially with a young contributor helping set the tone right away. Emil Heineman scored for the Islanders and Ilya Sorokin turned aside 24 shots, but the bigger takeaway for the Leafs was the confidence that can come from starting this chapter with a win, even if the longer road ahead is still only beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Face A Big Defense Question As Trade Buzz Builds
The Maple Leafs appear to be treating the blue line as the next major item on their list, with the club reportedly looking to strengthen its defense through the trade market. Toronto has some added cap flexibility because of players on long-term injured reserve, and general manager John Chayka is viewed as someone who could be open to a meaningful move if it helps the roster now.
Roman Josi and Dougie Hamilton have come up in the speculation around what Toronto might chase, but the picture is still developing and no deal has been finalized. The bigger question is how far the Leafs are willing to go to address that need, especially if the market opens a path to a defenseman who can shift the balance of the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Babcocks Blunt Oilers Message Overshadowed A Night Fans Wont Forget
The spotlight in Edmonton was supposed to stay on a wild overtime loss and Evan Bouchards historic five-point night, but Mike Babcocks blunt postgame criticism of his teams defense made sure the bigger takeaway was the Oilers sloppiness. On a night when Bobrovskys pregame routine drew plenty of attention and Toronto rookie Gavin McKenna was making his NHL debut, the game packed enough intrigue to linger well beyond the final horn.
Lost in the noise was another contract situation involving a former top prospect, with Simon Edvinsson still unsigned and training in Sweden as negotiations continue. For a Maple Leafs audience, it is the kind of surrounding news that matters because it speaks to how many moving parts can shape a season before a team even gets fully settled, and this one still has a notable piece left unresolved. [Read more 🡒]