Rookie Nick Robertson getting a look with Matthews and Nylander on Saturday

Much talked about Leafs prospect Nick Robertson is receiving quite the opportunity on Saturday, as the 18-year-old is skating on a line with a pair of skilled snipers in Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

The move came after feisty winger Zach Hyman took a shot off the leg during Friday's special teams drills. Hyman, who is the regular flank for Matthews and Nylander, did not take to the ice with his teammates on Saturday, though he did finish practice on Friday following the incident. His absence at this point should be considered a maintenance day, as the Leafs have not yet ruled him "unfit to play".

Nevertheless, Robertson has a huge opportunity in front of him to display his skills with a pair of high-ranking, skilled Leafs as he continues to turn heads at training camp.

If, heaven forbid, Zach Hyman is facing a minor injury that could see him miss 2 or 3 weeks of action, it opens the door for Robertson to perhaps get a look in the qualifying round when the Leafs open their series against the Columbus Blue Jackets on August 2nd. The more likely scenario, however, is that Hyman needs a day or two to recover before returning and the coaching staff felt that plugging Robertson into that hole as a placeholder for Hyman prevented them from having to do any other line-juggling, allowing the other units to work seamlessly to build chemistry.

Still, it's fun to imagine what a line like Nylander/Matthews/Robertson could do in the playoffs, isn't it?

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