Unanswered Questions: NHL Offseason Storylines That Are Far From Over

Several NHL narratives appear to have been answered, but the reality is, these stories are only in the first couple of chapters.

The 2024 NHL offseason has been intriguing. With key storylines fans have been watching, a handful of the biggest questions have seemingly been answered. Nick Robertson signed, Patrik Laine was traded. and Leon Draisaitl inked a huge extension. But, why do these stories feel like they’ve only been partially told?

Here are some of the biggest questions that seem like they’ve been answered, but there’s definitely another shoe to drop.

Nick Robertson Signs One-Year Deal with Maple Leafs

The stalemate between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson appears to be over. That doesn’t mean this story has been fully written. While a one-year deal means the team doesn’t have to trade the player right away, there are reports that a trade before the start of the regular season is still a real possibility.

Frank Seravalli notes, “Despite new contract, belief is Nick Robertson is still more likely to be traded than open the season with the #Leafs. There is still solid interest in Robertson. And it's always easier to trade an asset under contract as opposed to an RFA, which helped him sign.”

The suggestion here is that this deal might be a means to an end, where the player becomes much easier to move with a team-friendly deal and a pathway to play games this season.

Leon Draisaitl Signs, Is McDavid’s Contract a Given?

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid appear to be a package deal. That said, make no mistake, McDavid will do what he sees best in his NHL career when it comes to a contract extension. Just because Draisaitl signed a massive eight-year extension, it doesn’t mean McDavid will.