Report: Nick Robertson avoids arbitration, agrees to a 2-year deal with the Penguins

Pittsburgh’s forward group may be getting a clearer shape after a reported resolution involving Nick Robertson. According to Yahoo Sports, the ex-Maple Leafs forward agreed to a two-year contract and avoided salary arbitration, settling before the teams would have had to move through the formal hearing process.

Robertson’s move matters for the Penguins because it comes with the promise of continuity at the forward positions that often decide day-to-day lineup strength in an NHL season. In recent years, middle-six roles have increasingly been defined not only by scoring, but also by matchups, pace of play, and special-teams reliability, areas where a planned multi-year contract can reduce uncertainty for coaching staff and general managers.

For Toronto, the outcome is another chapter in the negotiation arc for Robertson, whose time with the organization was marked by transitions in usage and expectations. The key detail in the report is that the arbitration window did not end with a hearing, which typically means both sides preferred a negotiated outcome rather than leaving valuation to the arbitration panel.

For Pittsburgh, the timing of the agreement is also notable. Contract decisions in July can ripple into training camp planning, depth-chart options, and how the team allocates ice time once preseason games begin. Even without public specifics such as cap impact or annual salary structure in the reported account, the term length alone indicates a measure of long-term planning rather than a short-term stopgap.

While the report characterizes the potential fit as one that could reshape the Penguins’ middle-six, the precise deployment Robertson will see with his new team is not confirmed in the available information. Whether he lands in a more scoring-oriented lane or in a checking-and-matchup role could depend on what Pittsburgh already has under contract and how it intends to balance veterans with younger players.

Beyond immediate lineup considerations, an agreement like this can also affect how Pittsburgh approaches the rest of the offseason. If Robertson’s role is defined early, it can narrow the range of questions the Penguins may still need to answer through additional signings or internal promotions.

What to watch next is straightforward: confirmation of contract terms from primary sources (such as NHL or team transaction updates) and Robertson’s early usage in camp. If Pittsburgh’s coaching staff indicates a specific line assignment quickly, it will provide the clearest indication of whether the “middle-six reshaping” the report anticipates is meant to be a short-term experimental look or a more stable plan going into the season.