The Dallas Stars are in a championship window they can't afford to let go of. One of their franchise players, Jason Robertson, has been in a stalemate with the organization for a long-term deal, and one report signals Robertson isn't set in stone with Dallas as his permanent home yet.
ESPN's Emily Kaplan has been keeping up with the situation this summer, but her latest report won't excite Stars fans too much. Robertson was offered a deal similar to his co-star, Mikko Rantanen, but it sounds like the star forward is looking for more.
"According to one NHL source, the Stars had offered Robertson a contract of eight years with $12 million AAV, which would match the contract they handed Mikko Rantanen after acquiring the winger from the Hurricanes. Multiple reports have speculated that Robertson could be seeking upward of $14 million AAV -- the same cap number his new agent, Andy Scott, secured for Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton two years ago."
Jason Robertson's future with the Stars is still a dark cloud
This sounds different than Kaplan's report from weeks ago, when she said there would be "clarity" and an extension would be made in Dallas. With Robertson as a restricted free agent, he holds the cards to get what he wants, but $14 million in AAV is a commitment. Robertson is a mild-mannered guy who puts his head down and plays. If anything, he's done more than enough to deserve it.
Apparently, this bump in the road was coming for a while. Robertson, who scored 45 goals, 51 assists and 96 points, played far above his market value. That value is set at $15.7 million for the next eight years.
$12 million in AAV is a fair amount for Robertson, but he's at his peak right now, and as a longtime Stars forward at this point, he's done much more in the Stars uniform than Rantanen to prove his worth. Unfortunately, a bottom-feeder team with lots of money has every reason to give him what he's worth to rebuild for their own future. The Stars may easily lose that battle if Kaplan's intel is correct.
Going back to the championship window, Robertson is just as important to that as anyone else on the team. Jim Nill has been one of the best GMs in the NHL, and hopefully, they will get a deal going soon.
The Stars still have a lot to solve with their Jamie Benn situation. The Stars are ready to see him come back for an 18th season to be the team captain, but his decision remains undecided. But the Robertson issue will be the one that will affect the roster the most.
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