Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson has chosen to rescind his trade request and instead wants to be part of the team’s plans long-term.

During the 2024 offseason, questions emerged about Robertson’s future with the team as he requested to be traded before the start of free agency. He ultimately signed a one-year extension with an AAV of $875K prior to the start of training camp, but questions lingered for months regarding whether he could still be dealt before the trade deadline.

Speaking with Sportsnet’s Luke Fox after Leafs practice on Wednesday, Robertson said that he isn’t concerned about the upcoming deadline because he wants to remain with the team beyond this season.

“I want to be here, so I’m fine. Yeah, I don’t think about that stuff,” he said. “I’ve been worried about my day off tomorrow, doing what I got to do.”

This change in mindset is surely a welcomed sight for fans who have long championed for the Leafs not to give up on Robertson because of his offensive talents. But it was not always a sure thing that he would stick it out given all that came before it.

After years of discontent between the two players regarding his development, usage and concerns about his durability, things came to a head during the 2023-24 season. When the campaign began, he was assigned to the Toronto Marlies despite having a productive preseason and expressed his frustrations over not getting a chance to prove himself and the constant shuffling throughout the organization. It didn’t help that he never quite gained the trust of then-head coach Sheldon Keefe, but he also never quite stayed healthy for a full season until the aforementioned one.

This season, there were once again questions about his future even after securing the extension and making the team out of camp for the first time. It took him some time to fully establish himself, had some lengthy goalless droughts, and was unable to earn a spot in the top six for an extended period. Yet he has not waivered his confidence and he feels things are trending in the right direction.

“Last year, the most I played was like 20 games, then I’d get scratched. I’d be in and out. I hate that,” Robertson said. “I made a decision that I want to play every single game. I want to be in the lineup every game. I want to be an impactful player and so far it’s working. ”

“This year as a player, I think I’m better than I was last year. I’m more well-rounded and playing more, not like a rat, but being hard (to play against).”

Life is good for Robertson these days as he has been lights out since the team returned from the 4 Nations break with four points (three goals and an assist) in his last three games. But we are also seeing flashes of a player who is playing with the grittiness he was describing, as was evident during Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

During the third period, he went hard to the net and tried to poke the puck away from Jeremy Swayman just as the whistle went which drew a crowd. Instead of shying away from the altercation, he gladly got in the middle of things and was even seen barking back at a player.

“We had a conversation about this a while back, and I thought his game got better when he is more involved and is a tenacious player,” head coach Craig Berube said on what has changed for Robertson lately. “I call it tenacious; he doesn’t need to be running around and trying to hit everything in sight, but it is contact on pucks. Get in there with your speed and create contact. Get those loose puck battles. He is doing that.”

Berube added that he believes in Robertson’s abilities and the fact he is starting to get to the inside more could mean more ice time down the line should he keep this up.

The winger stressed that he feels he is at his best when he is playing with desperation because that is what allows him to not only get more into the game but also gives him the confidence to push the pace offensively. It is the kind of elements that he needed to add to his arsenal if he wished to remain with the team and to his credit, Robertson has done that and it is beginning to pay off.

The rest of his team is also beginning to notice this positive development in his game as a more well-rounded player.

“I like his game right now. He’s showed he can be a little hard to play against,” defenceman Simon Benoit said. “I told him that it’s harder to get hit by a smaller guy because they get you right in the ribs. Then you have no breath and can’t get the puck. To see him putting his body out there makes him a great player.”

So while some fans wonder what lies ahead for Robertson past the trade deadline and beyond, he has made a case to not only ride out the season but also ink another extension. He will be an RFA at season’s end and should not cost a lot even with arbitration rights.

Not only does Robertson not want to be traded, but he wants to a difference-maker because he feels he can make an impact beyond the offensive side of the game.

“I think I’ve evolved into a role,” he said. “Last year I was trying to stay (in the NHL) and I stayed up. Now it’s about finding what my identity is within the team to be successful. Through the ups and downs of the season, I’ve found what works for me. It sounds corny, but buying the system, buying into (the idea that) if I’m not creating plays, not shooting the puck, I could get a bump on someone, I could get a stick up, I could clear the puck. I take pride (in that).”