One of the moves that Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas made over the summer was to sign former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nic Robertson, a player he already was well familiar with, to a two-year, $6.5 million contract after acquiring him via trade for a 2028 fourth round draft pick.
Robertson now joins a Penguins squad who returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022 earlier this spring, but also facing the difficult reality that Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang aren’t getting any younger.
Neither are the likes of Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell, all of whom remain with the club despite having been heavily involved in trade rumors.
Could Robertson’s acquisition and subsequent contract signing have been a ploy by Dubas to try and lure another player named Robertson to the club?
Could The Pittsburgh Penguins Be Trying To Lure Jason Robertson?
Per NHL Insider Nick Kypreos, the Penguins could be gearing up for a pursuit of Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, whom the club managed to re-sign to a one-year contract earlier in the summer despite his uncertain RFA status.
And as Kypreos put it, the acquisition of his brother could go a long way in potentially convincing Jason to come aboard.
“Something to watch out for: Word is the Penguins’ acquisition of his younger brother Nick was done for a number of reasons, including the chance it will help lure Jason to town either in a trade or through free agency,” Kypreos reported via Sportsnet. “Pittsburgh is one market Jason has tremendous interest in.”
Robertson has reached the 40-goal threshold three times in his NHL career with the Stars, and has scored 213 goals with 277 assists in 456 games. Additionally, he’s scored 23 goals with 29 assists in 62 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Nic Robertson Was Happy To Join The Penguins
In the meantime, Nic Robertson expressed his happiness at having joined the Penguins, noting what he called their upward trajectory.
“The direction of the team, they’re making change with players and staff,” Robertson said via Trib Live. “I knew it was a possibility. When I got the word, I was excited I got traded. Obviously, with Pittsburgh, I’ve got some familiarity with Kyle.”
Naturally, getting the chance to play with a first ballot future Hall of Famer like Sidney Crosby carries an allure on itself.
“He’s such a talented player,” Robertson said of Crosby. “He’s not just your average NHL player. He plays so unique. You try to learn from him, learn how he plays and try to get some chemistry.”
Meanwhile, Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza, who worked alongside Dubas in Toronto, lauded the “energy” that Robertson provides.
“Nick’s a guy I know well personally, the team knows well,” Spezza said the day of the trade. “He’s a guy that brings a lot of energy, can score goals, just overall, a really good player.”
Penguins Could Be Trying To Lure Three-Time 40 Goal Scorer