The Dallas Stars and Jason Robertson eventually agreed to a contract this offseason.
It was one of those negotiations that at times seemed to be going a different direction. There were plenty of people who thought the standout goal machine would get traded.
Robertson began the 2026-27 NHL season in Dallas, though, on a one-year deal worth $12 million.
That doesn’t mean he’ll finish the year in Dallas. There are a bunch of layers that point to a guy who could still be traded before the year is over.
“Jason Robertson’s future with the Dallas Stars was a hot topic of speculation throughout last season and into the offseason,” Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson wrote in a new article on Wednesday.
Jason Robertson Trade Reasoning
The reality is that after an offseason in which Robertson was nearly traded — maybe to the Seattle Kraken — he’s closer to leaving town by the day.
He’s on just a one-year contract, and he’s an unrestricted free agent after the season. Those are the types of players who are often dealt before the trade deadline.
“Robertson could become a fixture in the rumor mill again if (Dallas) discussions fail to yield a new contract before the March 1 trade deadline, especially if the Stars should struggle to maintain their place as a Stanley Cup contender,” Richardson writes.
Robertson would be a huge acquisition for any contending team, especially if he came aboard in the middle of the season to provide an incredible jolt.
His $12 million contract won’t be the easiest to move, but the fact that it comes with no future obligations helps the cap sheet a bit for a new team.
An acquiring team would probably want to extend Robertson, too, if possible — but that’s a future problem. First, they’d need to get the Stars to accept a trade.
And while the Stars wouldn’t do that if they’re in the hunt when the calendar turns to 2027, if they happen to be on the outside looking in, it would make a lot of sense to deal Robertson.
Stars Making Effort
Dallas does appear to be making an effort to keep Robertson around.
“During training camp, Stars general manager Jim Nill told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that he met with Robertson and his family this summer to mend their relationship,” Richardson writes. “He stated that his priority is to open extension talks on Jan. 1, when they’re eligible.”
Given that talks didn’t seem to go particularly well over the summer, though, there’s at least some reason for pessimism about new conversations.
Robertson has most of the control here, because a worst-case scenario for him is simply hitting free agency at the end of the season.
For the Stars to keep him, they’ll likely have to blow him away.
Stars Didn’t Stifle Jason Robertson Trade Future