The future of Jason Robertson with the Stars has been a talking point going back to the summer when there was some speculation about whether they could afford him for the upcoming season. However, a trade didn’t materialize.
Meanwhile, despite that, there has been some speculation about his long-term future with Dallas. One year away from restricted free agency, Robertson is in line for a significant raise from his current $7.75MM AAV and with their salary structure, some have wondered if the Stars will be able to afford to keep him long-term while continuing to add to their core.
However, despite all that speculation, Robertson told Stars staff writer Mike Heika that he’s not concerned about it at this time:
It doesn’t really bother me. I think what is important is this year for us as a team. The window is open, we’re trying to win it this year, and then we’ll look at it.
The 26-year-old had his second straight 80-point season last year, despite missing all of training camp while recovering from foot surgery which led to a slow start. He was also a bit quieter than expected in the playoffs after returning from injury although he still managed six points in 11 games.
Robertson has had either 79 or 80 points in three of the last four seasons, seemingly providing a reasonable baseline for talks. However, he managed 109 points the other year. It stands to reason that Robertson wants to see if a full training camp and a strong start could propel him closer to his best year which would certainly boost his stock heading into negotiations.
GM Jim Nill noted earlier this month that discussions were at a standstill. It appears he’s not worried about Robertson’s decision to hold off on any further discussions until after the season either:
With Jason, I don’t blame him. He’s not a UFA, he’s an RFA. He wants to see what the market is. Jason wants to bounce back from last year. He missed all of training camp and that was a tough start for him. He can now come in clear-minded and say I’m going to have my best year. That’s what I’m looking forward to. We’re going to get the best version of Jason Robertson and we’re going to benefit from that.
Earlier this offseason, AFP Analytics projected that a max-term eight-year extension for Robertson would cost the Stars just over $11.5MM per season. The new rules on maximum term are in effect until the new CBA extension officially starts on September 16, 2026 so a deal of that length will be doable when talks resume down the road. Regardless of when it happens, Robertson will be getting a much bigger payday when the 2026-27 season gets underway but we now know that it won’t be coming anytime soon.
Six years, 9 AAV.