Robertson's Future Uncertain
Dallas Stars Hope to Retain Jason Robertson Amidst Existing Trade Deal and Player Contract Rejection
The Dallas Stars have a trade deal in place to send star forward Jason Robertson to the Seattle Kraken — but the deal is dead for now, and the Stars still want to keep him. Robertson, 26, rejected a reported eight-year, $120 million offer ($15 million per season) from Seattle, collapsing the trade before the 2026 NHL Draft even ended, according to Sportsnet.
Robertson remains an unsigned restricted free agent. GM Jim Nill said on July 1: "The goal still is to sign Robertson... The games don't start until September." The clock is ticking. Robertson must decide whether to file for salary arbitration by July 5, The Associated Press reported.
Trade to Seattle Collapsed After Robertson Said No
The deal was in place. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Dallas had agreed to ship Robertson to Seattle in exchange for the No. 7 overall pick and other assets. Robertson was even given permission to negotiate a long-term extension with the Kraken. Then he turned down their $120 million offer.
A secondary deal also fell apart. Dallas reportedly planned to flip Seattle's No. 7 pick to Toronto for forward Matthew Knies. That trade died too once Robertson said no, according to The Hockey News. Robertson does not have a formal no-trade clause, but by refusing to sign in Seattle, he effectively killed the move himself.
Washington State's New Tax Complicated Seattle's $120 Million Offer
Money was not the only problem with Seattle's offer. Washington State is set to impose a new 9.9% tax on income over $1 million starting January 1, 2028, according to The Hockey News. That means Robertson's $15 million per year would effectively shrink to roughly $13.5 million after 2028 — wiping out the tax advantage Seattle once offered players.
Robertson's camp is reportedly seeking a deal above $12 million per season — possibly as high as $14 to $15 million AAV, according to TSN. Dallas is hesitant to go that high. The Stars signed Mikko Rantanen to an eight-year, $96 million deal ($12 million per season) in March 2025. Nill is reportedly reluctant to pay Robertson more than that internal benchmark.
Stars Lost Cap Space and Still Have Not Upgraded Their Roster
The Robertson contract mess is already costing Dallas. The team traded forward Mavrik Bourque — the 2024 AHL MVP — to Nashville on July 1. Nill called Bourque a "cap casualty," meaning Dallas cut him just to make room for a potential Robertson deal, according to The Associated Press.
Dallas also failed to land defenseman Zach Werenski. A trade was reportedly set, but Werenski vetoed a move to Dallas on July 1, according to Sportsnet. The Stars entered free agency having lost depth, failed to add defense, and still lacking a signed deal with their best forward. Robertson put up 45 goals and 96 points in the 2025-26 season.
Arbitration Deadline Looms as the Next Pressure Point
If Robertson files for salary arbitration before July 5, a neutral third party will set his salary. That process usually results in a short one-year deal — likely worth $9 to $10 million — and often damages the relationship between player and team, according to Pro Hockey Rumors. A short bridge deal would let Robertson reach unrestricted free agency sooner, where he could pick his own team.
TSN's Pierre LeBrun says Dallas has "circled back" to other teams but has not given up on signing Robertson outright. If no deal gets done, Eastern Conference teams like Montreal or Toronto could emerge as trade targets. If another team issues an offer sheet above $11,939,167, Dallas would need four first-round picks as compensation — or let him walk, according to KTVB.
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