Stars' GM Jim Nill Makes Announcement on Star RFA Jason Robertson

Jim Nill, GM of the Dallas Stars, announced today that restricted free agent Jason Robertson will not join the team for training camp. Robertson is the only remaining Star without a contract and is in store for a monster payday.

In 128 NHL regular season games, Robertson has scored 125 points, and he has 4 points in 7 playoff games. Selected 39th overall by Dallas in 2017, Robertson is one of the biggest draft steals in recent memory. Only six players from the 2017 draft have more points than Robertson, and only one has a better points per game rate; reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Cale Makar.

This kid is legit.

Is 99th percentile in wins above replacement good?

With Robertson's absence from the Stars' training camp official, let us be reminded of a couple of factors surrounding his contract negotiations.

First, looking around the league and observing the types of contracts being handed out, Robertson should be asking for $9 million per year and yes I am serious. On a per-game basis, Robertson has outperformed players like Nico Hischier, Elias Petterson, and Nick Suzuki, each of whom collect over $7 million per season.

Second, Dallas only has $6.3 million in cap space right now, as they are really starting to feel the weight of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin's hefty price tags. Jim Nill may see Anton Khudobin's $3.33 million saved via long-term injured reserve, which would help in fitting Robertson under the cap.

Thirdly, however, that still does not assuage Tom Gaglardi's fears of signing youngsters to big ticket deals. Recently Gaglardi appeared on the Cam and Strick Podcast and revealed that he is personally against the practice.

Gaglardi probably hates it because he is bootstrapped to Benn and Seguin's deals that they signed back in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Two notes here: 1) that is not Jason Robertson's problem and 2) if anything, that should give Gaglardi more reason to invest heavier in younger players whose bodies will not break down three years into a seven year deal.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know...take my 'logic' and 'prudent' ideas elsewhere.

If the Stars want to field a competitive team in 2022-23, something tells me they had better get this kid signed before long. Without him, the Stars' forward group will never be the same, and the longer this goes the more and more it strains the player-club relationship. Which would be devastating to the long-term position of the Dallas Stars.

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