The Dallas Stars are once again one of the best hockey teams and a major player in the Central Division, even if things aren’t going smoothly at the moment. Despite being second in the NHL with 63 points, the Stars have been on a slide lately, going 2-5-4 in their last eleven games.
While every team goes through its ups and downs over the course of an 82-game regular season, this recent stretch has exposed Dallas’ lack of offensive depth — especially with Tyler Seguin out for the year — and coincides with increased speculation about a potential trade for superstar winger Jason Robertson.
The rumors surrounding Robertson reached a fever pitch this offseason, but General Manager Jim Nill opted to keep his pending RFA, and that decision has paid off big time thus far. The 26-year-old has been fantastic this season, scoring 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 48 games.
That said, this offensive explosion also means he will get more command on a new contract, something Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos highlighted when signing Robertson to his contract. latest trading board. He did note that it still seems more likely this is a summer move, but if Dallas gets the right offer, a deadline deal remains in play.
Given the Stars’ current problems, the question arises as to whether they might be open to such a deal sooner than anyone initially expected.
Teams linked to Jason Robertson
Kypreos sparked rumors of the Maple Leafs potentially reuniting the Robertson brothers in Toronto as an idea floating around league circles, although whether they’ll be able to meet Nill’s asking price remains a question.
NHL Trade Rumors also recently linked Robertson to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While it’s not a conclusive report and should be taken with a grain of salt, it does make sense given the abundance of cap space and the fact that they are currently in the playoffs with Sidney Crosby and the core still performing at a high level.
Insider Elliotte Friedman also said that when the Stars explored the Robertson market this summer, the Chicago Blackhawks were very much in the mix with interest. Not to mention the Carolina Hurricanes can never be counted out when a big name emerges, and of course they connected with Dallas last year in a deal of that magnitude.
It still feels unlikely that a Dallas team with Stanley Cup aspirations would move its second-leading point producer midseason. That said, where there’s smoke, there’s fire – and eventually they’ll have to deal with this contract dilemma.
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