SerpApi.Org
The Jason Robertson saga is over for now with the Dallas Stars signing the forward to a one-year deal worth $12 million on Tuesday.
Signing Robertson, who turns 27 on Wednesday, ensures he and the Stars will avoid arbitration talks. Robertson was one of 15 restricted free agents who filed for arbitration on July 5.
Robertson, who led the Stars with 96 points and tied for the team lead with 45 goals, had recently finished a four-year deal worth $7.75 million annually.
He becomes the 28th player in the NHL who will earn more than $10 million next season. The Stars join the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings as the franchises with three players who are on the list.
"Jason has been a cornerstone of our franchise since he was drafted in 2017," Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a statement. "A dynamic and skilled player, he has been one of the league's top offensive threats since making his NHL debut. We're excited for what this season will bring for both Jason and the team as we continue our path to bring a championship to Dallas."
The one-year deal provides a temporary solution to what has a chance to be a long-term issue for the Stars.
This will be the final season that Dallas has team control for Robertson before next offseason, when he could hit the open market in a class that could have stars such as Quinn Hughes, Nikita Kucherov and Cale Makar, among others, who all are entering the final seasons of their respective contracts.
It's a potential UFA class that has a chance to cash in on the league's financial growth. The NHL, which was once limited by the pandemic-driven flat cap, raised the cap from $70.6 million for the 2025-26 season to $104 million for the 2026-27 season, with that figure potentially rising to $113.5 million in 2027-28.
Until then? The focus for Robertson and the Stars is to find a way to at least return to the Western Conference finals, with the additional objective of winning what would be the second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Dallas advanced to three consecutive Western Conference finals prior to last season, when it was eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Wild.
Robertson was one of the strongest playoff performers for the Stars, ranking first with five goals and second with eight points.
A three-time 40-goal scorer who has two seasons of more than 90 points, Robertson is one of the elite forwards in the NHL.
Retaining those players, however, comes at a cost that appeared to be the biggest challenge facing the salary cap-strapped Stars.
PuckPedia projected that the Stars had a little more than $10 million in cap space before they signed Robertson. They are now projected to be minus-$1.36 million, which means they'll need to make at least one move to become compliant before the season starts.
Before Robertson signed his new contract, he had been the subject of intense speculation that his future could lie elsewhere. The Stars had a sign-and-trade deal in place that would have sent Robertson to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for the No. 7 pick in last month's NHL draft. Robertson, however, wasn't willing to sign a long-term deal, with Seattle reportedly offering an eight-year contract.
For now? Robertson joins defenseman Thomas Harley and winger Mikko Rantanen as the three Stars who will each make more than $10 million next season. Harley is entering the first year of a deal worth $10.587 million annually, while Rantanen is going into the second year of his contract that is worth $12 million annually.
PuckPedia projects that the Stars will have $41.16 million in cap space next offseason as Robertson is part of a nine-player UFA class that includes captain Jamie Benn and veteran forward Tyler Seguin. Defenseman Lian Bichsel will be a restricted free agent.
