Story byBilly HeyenMon, March 2, 2026 at 8:40 PM UTC·1 min readWhy Nicholas Robertson isn't playing tonight for Maple Leafs with trade deadline looming originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Toronto Maple Leafs are just looking for some kind of spark. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn Monday night, that means Nicholas Robertson isn't playing. It's a bit of a surprise move for Toronto with just a few days until the NHL trade deadline. Robertson, at 24, is one of the Leafs' youngest consistent contributors. He's the type of guy you'd expect to get more action down the stretch of what seems to be a lost season, not less. But when Toronto hosts the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night, the plan is for Robertson to not be in uniform. MORE: Elias Pettersson breaks silence on Canucks benching before deadlineWhy isn't Nicholas Robertson playing tonight?Robertson isn't playing Monday because he's a healthy scratch. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere have been no reports that this is related to a potential trade. Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube explained the move this way to reporters:"I have to make decisions on the lineup.