Jason Robertson’s contract situation has been one of the NHL’s biggest unresolved offseason questions.
The Dallas Stars winger completed a four-year, $31 million contract with a $7.75 million average annual value on July 1, becoming a restricted free agent. Robertson is coming off a 45-goal, 96-point season and has recorded at least 80 points in four straight years after he scored 79 in 2022.
Dallas hasn't made things easier, as the franchise tried to keep talks open with Robertson while also listening to potential sign-and-trade offers for their star forward. One of the latter arrived on the verge of free agency and involved the Seattle Kraken.
That deal fell apart after Robertson declined to commit long-term to Seattle. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Kraken offered Robertson an eight-year contract worth roughly $120 million, with an average annual value near $15 million. The trade was framed to send the No. 7 pick and potentially more assets to Dallas in exchange for Robertson.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Now, Robertson has made another decision that will keep him tied to the Stars for the moment, which always seemed to be his preference.
On Sunday, the NHL Players' Association confirmed that Robinson was one of 15 players to file for salary arbitration before the 5 p.m. ET deadline.
Filing makes Robertson ineligible to receive offer sheets from other teams, and with the arbitration window running from July 20 to Aug. 1, Dallas and Robertson can negotiate before any hearing.
The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta appeared on the "Hello Hockey" show on Saturday and reported that teams approached Robertson’s camp about offer sheets before he filed for arbitration.
Pagnotta added that, before last weekend, there was no real traction in the negotiations between the Stars and their player.
“Looking at Robinson going into the weekend, there was no traction on a deal,” Pagnotta said. “So if something happens (Saturday, ahead of the arbitration filing deadline), maybe that builds toward it.
“What's Dallas going to do right now? Because obviously, they're trying to be aggressive and trade this guy. He doesn't want to go anywhere, but Dallas is still a team that needs to try to improve.”
If the case reaches arbitration, Robertson would receive a one-year contract that would turn him into an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2027. Dallas can still sign Robertson to a maximum-length, eight-year extension before Sept. 15. After that date, the longest deal with the Stars would be seven years.
