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The Dallas Stars have finally reached a resolution to their difficult contract negotiation with Jason Robertson, signing the forward to a short-term deal to bring him back for next season.
The Stars announced they signed their leading scorer to a one-year contract worth $12 million on Tuesday that keeps him in Dallas through the 2026-27 season, barring a trade. The deal addresses one of the Stars' biggest uncertainties of the offseason and avoids an arbitration hearing that was set for Saturday.
Robertson, a restricted free agent, filed for arbitration earlier this month after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement following over a year of negotiations over a new long-term deal. Several reports indicated the Stars offered Robertson a deal similar to the eight-year contract with a $12 million AAV they gave Mikko Rantanen last season but that the forward wanted closer to $14 million annually.
A third-party would've helped them find the middle ground with a one-year deal in arbitration. But the two sides finally came to an agreement just days before that hearing.
Robertson is still set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Stars could sign him to a long-term extension beginning Jan. 1, 2027 or trade him ahead of the March deadline. That extension could be for as many as seven years. Starting Sept. 16, 2026, the NHL is eliminating eight-year contracts. After then, players can re-sign with their current team for a maximum of seven years, or unrestricted free agents can re-sign with a new team for, at most, six years.
In some ways, the one-year deal could serve Dallas well.
The NHL's salary cap will go up another $9.5 million ahead of next season. Tyler Seguin's contract worth $9.85 million will also come off the books, freeing up some cap room.
But after difficult negotiations that almost led to arbitration, Robertson could also be inclined to test the UFA market. The Stars may want to trade him before that happens.
The Stars already tried to do so with Stars GM Jim Nill confirming the Stars had given permission to the Seattle Kraken to speak with Robertson and had planned to trade the forward for a return that included the seventh overall pick in this year's NHL draft. But Robertson rejected an eight-year offer reportedly worth $15 million annually from Seattle.
Robertson was due for a sizable raise no matter where it came from. His last contract was a four-year deal worth just $7.75 million annually - a steal for a player who led the team in goal scoring in the regular season and playoffs. Robertson tied for fourth in the league with 45 goals. He recorded 96 points in 82 games and went on to score a goal in each of his first five games of the playoffs.
Robertson also addressed areas of his game that were often criticized during the 2025-26 season, improving his physicality, defense and playoff scoring.
Robertson addressed his contract negotiations at his end-of-season availability in May, saying he was "optimistic" but adding that "it's a business on both sides." Robertson didn't state clearly one way or another whether he hoped or thought he would be back in the fall.
Stars GM Jim Nill was far clearer with his intentions, saying in May: "That's our focus is to get him signed. He's a big part of our team, and we've drafted and developed him, and we think he'll be a Dallas Star for the rest of his career."
Nill said that despite the Stars having limited salary cap room, even with the cap going up $8.5 million next season. The Stars were projected to have just $11 million to sign 2-3 forwards, per PuckPedia, at the start of the offseason, but Nill said that didn't concern him entering negotiations with Robertson's team.
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