Entering the NHL as a rookie in 2020-21 as a member of the Dallas Stars, Jason Robertson didn’t generate a lot of hype early on. Having been passed through the entire first round of the 2017 Draft, it didn’t seem as though anyone viewed him as a player with the potential to become a superstar. However, fast forward to where we are now, and that is exactly what he is turning into.
With 125 points in 128 career games, one would think the Stars would do anything and everything in their power to ensure he is a part of their roster. However, with October having begun, the 23-year-old is not with the team at training camp as he does not have a contract in place for the 2022-23 season.
Interestingly enough, Stars owner Tom Gaglardi appeared on the Cam & Strick podcast a month ago and was clear that he believes skilled players are being paid too much in the game today, which could very well explain why a contract for Robertson isn’t yet in place. On top of that, well-known insider and former goaltender Kevin Weekes tweeted out on Thursday morning he believes the minimum annual salary to get a deal done for the young star would be $8.4 million.
As of now, the Stars don’t have that much cap available, as they are just $6.3 million away from the maximum. Given Robertson’s value to the organization, one would imagine that they will do anything to keep him around, but the longer this drags out increases the chances of a potential trade being made. With that being said, here are three potential trading partners for the Stars should a contract agreement not be reached.
Buffalo Sabres
What got the trade chatter started surrounding Robertson came from the After the Whistle Podcast hosted by former NHLers in Craig Rivet and Andrew Peters. They sent out a tweet Wednesday morning saying that they have heard the Buffalo Sabres have reached out to the Stars regarding their interest in acquiring Robertson.
This deal, at least from a Sabres’ perspective, makes sense for a number of reasons. At this time, they have more than $20 million in cap space, meaning they would have no issue getting Robertson signed to a new deal. They also have a plethora of young talent, both in the form of players on their current roster as well as prospects that they could send the Stars way.
On top of that, they also have first-round picks in each of the next three drafts, and should have zero issue parting with a few of them for a player of Robertson’s caliber. He won’t come cheap, but players like this don’t become available all too often, and he has already proved early on in his career that he is more than worth it. While the Stars certainly don’t want to move him, the Sabres are perhaps their best option at getting a deal done if need be.