- Jason Robertson stayed unsigned as free agency opened, and Jim Nill said there’s no update on the standoff
- Dallas made a qualifying offer worth at least $11.9 million and can match any outside deal, with a Saturday arbitration deadline looming
- Read below for Nill’s comments and where the Robertson contract situation stands
Jason Robertson is still without a contract, and Jim Nill isn’t panicking about it.
The Stars general manager met with reporters on the first day of NHL free agency and made clear the situation hasn’t moved much. Dallas still wants to keep its top scorer, and Nill said he’s staying in touch with Robertson’s camp.
Nill was asked for the latest on the negotiations:
“Really no update on Jason,” Nill said. “I think everybody needs to understand that this is July 1. The games don’t start until September, and this is part of the contract negotiations.”
Robertson stayed an unsigned restricted free agent Wednesday, days after Dallas nearly shipped him out. Nill acknowledged after the draft that the Stars had a sign-and-trade lined up to send Robertson to Seattle for the seventh overall pick.
He couldn’t block that deal, but he wouldn’t agree to a long-term contract with the Kraken, reportedly $120 million over eight years.
Here’s Nill breaking down the Kraken situation after the draft:
Dallas made a qualifying offer before the market opened, so the Stars can match any offer sheet another team hands Robertson. If they let him walk, the compensation runs to four first-round picks for a qualifying offer of at least $11.9 million.
Arbitration is the other wrinkle. Either side can file by Saturday to set a 2026-27 number before Robertson could reach unrestricted free agency next summer. Nill wasn’t ready to guess how that plays out.
“I don’t really know,” Nill said when asked if arbitration was coming. “I really can’t answer that. I don’t know what they’re thinking, and we’re working through those things.”
Robertson turns 27 on July 22 and just wrapped a four-year, $31 million deal. He led the Stars with 96 points and 45 goals last season, his third 40-goal year. Since debuting in 2020, he’s piled up 490 points in 456 games.
Money is the holdup. Mikko Rantanen is the highest-paid Star at $12 million a year, and Robertson’s side wants to be paid like a franchise piece. That gap is why one of the best wingers in hockey is still on the market in July.
