The Toronto Maple Leafs ended the stalemate with RFA forward Nick Robertson, settling on a one-year, $1.825 million contract on Saturday. The deal, as initially reported by insider Elliotte Friedman, averted the need for an arbitration hearing on Sunday.While the deal ends the standoff between Robertson and the Leafs, questions linger about how beneficial the deal really was for the team.So, here’s a look at three reasons why the Toronto Maple Leafs should not have settled with Nick Robertson ahead of Sunday’s arbitration hearing.3 reasons why Maple Leafs should not have settled arbitration with Nick Robertson#3 Robertson is unlikely to make Maple Leafs lineupNick Robertson is hardly a shoo-in to make the Maple Leafs' Opening Night roster. According to Daily Faceoff, there is no lineup spot for Robertson. Newcomers Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua, and Nicolas Roy should all land above Robertson on the team’s depth chart.Other bottom-six players like Calle Jarnkrok and Bobby McMann should also land ahead of Robertson on the club’s depth chart. That situation means that Robertson could be on track to land as the Leafs’ 13th forward. However, nearly $2 million AAV for a 13th forward could be far too much for the club to pay.#2 Robertson is an unproven playerWhile Nick Robertson has scored 29 goals over two seasons with the Maple Leafs, he’s still very much an unproven player. He’s yet to hold onto a roster spot.Last season, Robertson was given a chance to earn a spot under Craig Berube. While Robertson got into 69 games, he gradually found himself out of the lineup. He appeared in three postseason games before riding the bench the rest of the way.Robertson’s lack of a proven track record casts doubt on his role with the club moving forward. His lack of true success only compounds his already tenuous grasp on a roster spot in 2025-26.#1 Cap hit is too highEven if Robertson were to make the Leafs’ Opening Night roster as a 13th forward, his $1.825 million cap hit is far too high. The cap hit would make sense if Robertson were to occupy a spot in the team’s middle six.However, that is not the case. As such, signing Robertson to the cap hit that the Leafs did signals a massive overpay.Unless Toronto is prepared to give Robertson a shot in the top six, particularly following Mitch Marner’s departure, there’s no solid reason to justify the Leafs shelling out nearly $2 million next season for Robertson.