Jason Robertson turned down the Kraken’s eight-year pitch that would have paid roughly $15 million per season. The decision keeps one of the NHL’s top pending restricted free agents in play and leaves the Stars with a harder cap problem to solve.
Robertson’s Numbers
Robertson is coming off a season with 45 goals and 51 assists in 82 games. He also had at least 80 points in four straight campaigns, including a 46-goal, 109-point season in 2022-23.
Those totals explain why the price climbed quickly. A $15 million tag would have made him the second-highest-paid player in the NHL for the upcoming season, and the Kraken still pushed that level on an eight-year deal before he passed.
Stars Cap Pressure
Jim Nill has said extending Robertson is a priority, but Dallas has a little over $9 million in cap space. That is not enough to cover Robertson’s $9.3 million qualifying offer, and the Stars were hoping to get him signed around $12 million per season.
Friedman said the Stars and Robertson are around $2 million per season apart in discussions, and he also said Dallas’s cap situation is going to make that task difficult. The gap is small enough to keep talks alive, but large enough that the team may have to move money before a deal works.
Seattle and Dallas Options
Before the offer was rejected, the Stars allowed pending RFA winger Jason Robertson to discuss a contract with Seattle. A trade was believed to be in place if a contract had been agreed upon, with the seventh overall pick being part of the deal.
Pierre LeBrun said the Stars are circling back to other teams that recently showed interest in Robertson. Dallas still wants to keep him, but the next step depends on whether the club can close that $2 million gap or pivot to a different return.
