Sheldon Keefe confirms the worst for Nick Robertson following brutal injury this evening

In case you missed it this evening, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson left his team against the Los Angeles Kings midway through the first period of a game that the Leafs would ultimately win.

Robertson was the recipient of a big hit from Kings defenseman Matt Roy and appeared to separate his shoulder after getting dumped in the corner.

Check it out:

Robertson left the ice immediately following the hit and looked to be favoring his shoulder the entire time. The Leafs confirmed just minutes later that he wouldn't be returning to action, citing a shoulder injury.

In his post-game media scrum, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that Robertson suffered a serious shoulder injury and would remain out of the team's lineup for "significant time."

From Keefe:

Absolutely brutal news for the 21 year old. He has suffered tough break after tough break the past couple seasons and has stunted his development a bit as a result. Through 15 games with the Leafs so far this season he has two goals and five points and looked to finally be hitting his stride. This latest development is an absolute heart-breaker for this kid, especially when you see what his brother Jason Robertson is accomplishing with the Dallas Stars this season.