Playing a physical style again took its toll on Roberts' upper body, and he required surgery on both shoulders following the season. As a result, he missed the first four and a half months of the 2002–03 season; he appeared in only 14 games for Toronto. The Maple Leafs signed him to a one-year contract extension shortly after he returned from the injury. Roberts reached a career milestone midway through the 2003–04 season, as he played his 1,000th NHL game on January 13, 2004, a 4–1 victory over the Calgary Flames. He finished the season with 48 points in 72 games and played in his third All-Star Game.