Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson took a significant step in his stalled contract talks by filing for salary arbitration before Sunday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, a decision that prevents rival clubs from pursuing him with an offer sheet.
The 26-year-old winger is coming off the best statistical season of his career, posting 96 points on 45 goals and 51 assists while earning a spot on the NHL's First All-Star Team. He just wrapped up a four-year, $31 million contract and was set to become a restricted free agent.
Arbitration means a third-party decision-maker could determine Robertson's pay for the coming season if Dallas cannot reach a deal first. That outcome would walk the winger to unrestricted free agency in 2027. Stars general manager Jim Nill has repeatedly said the franchise wants to keep its homegrown star.
The path to this point was anything but smooth. Dallas and Seattle had constructed a sign-and-trade that would have shipped Robertson to the Kraken in exchange for the seventh pick in the recent draft, but Robertson passed on a reported $120 million over eight years from the Pacific Northwest club.
Robertson was one of 15 NHL players to file for arbitration Sunday. The Stars' payroll already features seven contracts averaging more than $8 million, topped by Mikko Rantanen at $12 million and defenseman Thomas Harley at $10.587 million, leaving Nill to balance a books that also include Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen and Wyatt Johnston.
