The Dallas Stars have an important offseason as they have a key piece of the puzzle to take care of with top forward Jason Robertson‘s contract expiring. The 26 year old is set to be one of the top RFA’s on the market over the summer.
There has been rampant speculation that Dallas may be unable to keep Robertson and be forced to make a trade due to their salary cap constraints that have made extension talks tricky for the club to navigate. The good news for Stars fans is signs point to a resolution being found soon as the two sides have reportedly made progress in negotiations.
Robertson Trending Towards Extending With Dallas
Via ESPN reporter Emily Kaplan, Robertson is likely to extend with the Stars soon. It appears Dallas has dodged a bullet and won’t have to trade their star forward.
This is good news for Dallas as Robertson has asserted himself as an integral member of this teams core. He has emerged as one of the most dangerous offensive talents in the league since he entered the scene with the Stars in 2020. Of course, general manager Jim Nill still needs to finish the job and put pen to paper. But, it is encouraging to see things trending that way after all the talk that Robertson may jump ship for a new destination.
Robertson enjoyed another strong season in a crucial contract year for the American. He recorded 45 goals and 51 assists for 96 points in 82 regular season games. In the playoffs, he registered five goals and three assists in six games as his team was eliminated in round one by the Minnesota Wild.
What Will the Robertson Contract Look Like?
With the ever rising NHL salary cap creating a shifting marketplace around the league, Robertson’s next contract will no doubt be much richer than his current $7.75 million deal.
As for what that contract looks like, Robertson’s teammate Mikko Rantanen could be used as a comparable to project what this deal will come in at. Rantanen signed an eight year $12 million extension with the Stars last year after he was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes during the trade deadline.
Rantanen has produced at a similar rate as Robertson in their time together with Dallas. Mikko recorded 22 goals and 55 assists for 77 points in 64 regular season games this past year. He also put up nearly identical postseason totals with one goal and six assists in six games.
Considering that the NHL salary cap has rose approximately $8.5 million in the last year, it is fair to say Robertson’s number will probably be higher than Rantanen’s. Rantanen’s $12 million is likely the minimum bar that has been set by the Robertson camp with regards to the terms on his next deal.
It is crucial that Jim Nill gets this deal done as Robertson is an important member of this core that is still looking to break through and win the Stanley Cup. Sacrifices will no doubt have to made as Dallas will have little cap room left to work with once Robertson is back on the books. With that said, he is a player worth the money.
Dallas Receive Positive Update on Jason Robertson’s Future With Team