NHL free agency season has turned into a frenzy, and the Dallas Stars are in the middle of all of it. Fingers are crossed that Jason Robertson will return to the Stars, but it's up to general manager Jim Nill to make the right deal for the right price.
Per Elliotte Friedman and later ESPN, Columbus Blue Jackets star defenseman Zach Werenski vetoed a trade to the Stars. Friedman adds that the agreement was verbal, but the star defenseman used the full no-movement clause in his contract, and he prefers to be in the Eastern Conference. Reportedly, Harley was supposed to be involved in the trade, and now, it's dead.
This is about the weirdest event we've seen in free agency this offseason, but the Stars need to stay focused on committing to their championship goal.
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski vetoes trade to the Stars
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski adds the Stars have been mighty busy this offseason.
"For Dallas, this marks the second time this offseason that a blockbuster trade was scuttled. According to multiple reports, a trade that would have sent restricted free agent winger Jason Robertson to the Seattle Kraken was rejected by Robertson, who said he wouldn't sign an extension with the club."
The Werenski trade would've been a move the Stars would've loved, but now, it's back to square one. Earlier this offseason, Nill said he wasn't planning on drastically changing the roster, but it appears that's already happened.
Werenski is one of the best in his position. He's coming off winning the Norris Trophy, which goes to the best defender in the NHL. He's a two-time NHL First All-Star Team player, and he also has a gold medal on his resume for winning the 2026 Winter Olympics.
This would've been a huge win for the Stars, even if they had to see Harley go. It's the splash that would've solidified the Stars as a serious contender, but they will have to look elsewhere, including their own house, to sign Robertson long-term.
For players to have this kind of power is wild, and we should definitely hear more of an explanation soon. It's another heartbreak for the Stars in the early offseason, as they've already seen another one of their young chess pieces say goodbye.
Mavrik Bourque and Ilya Lyubushkin were traded to the Nashville Predators for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-rounder, even though it looked like Bourque intended to stay with the Stars for a while.
The Stars announced the signings of goaltender Brandon Halverson, center Artem Shlaine and right wing Arttu Hyry. Not the splash some had hoped for, but still some security.
At least some good news, but the main headline so far for the Stars is missing out on perhaps the best defender in the NHL right now.
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