It’s time for some more NHL rumours. We’re into the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, there’s still plenty of hot stove chatter. Teams that were eliminated earlier in the tournament are trying to figure things out with their lineups. It’s always hard to keep rosters together despite the rising salary cap. The price of going business continues to go and players will want to maximize their value. This offseason is going to prove difficult for some general managers.
One team that may have a massive headache in the offseason re-signing a key player is the Dallas Stars. This edition of NHL rumours deals with what the starting point may be what this high-flying youngster’s next contract could look like.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Possible Starting Dollar Amount for Jason Robertson’s Next Deal
Rumour: We once again check in on Jason Robertson and his status with the Stars. The pending restricted free agent could be someone that teams are willing to give up plenty of draft capital to get him. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned that Robertson’s camp wants a number starting at $12 million. That number would put him up there with Mikko Rantanen.
However, $12 million may only be the starting point for Robertson. Friedman mentioned that the increase in pay may force Stars general manager Jim Nill to reconfigure the roster to keep Robertson in the fold.
Analysis: Robertson’s name is once again in the spotlight in this round of NHL rumours. The 26-year-old winger is going to get a massive raise from his current $7.75 million salary. Robertson’s qualifying offer would be $9.3 million but he will likely seek more than that.
The American forward is coming off his third season where he got at least 40 goals. He was also the leading goalscorer for the Stars with five in six games before getting eliminated by the Minnesota Wild. There’s no doubt that Robertson has done has part to earn a massive payday. However, the problem could be making that likely eight-figure deal fit under the cap.
We will see the salary cap go up to $104 million in the coming offseason. However, it’s still going to be a challenge for Nill to make a deal work to keep a player that many think should be a cornerstone of the Stars’ offence.
(Credit Image: © Steve Roberts/Cal Sport Media/Cal Sport Media)
What It Means
Dallas will be helped by the cap going up, but there still will need to be some hard choices. Defenceman Thomas Harley‘s contract jumps up over $6.5 million from this year’s $4 million. It did seem that Dallas was going to lean in keeping one of the best defensive groups intact.
However, the attention turns to Robertson and trying to get him locked in for a few seasons. We could see Nill try to shed Tyler Seguin‘s $9.85 million salary this coming offseason. Seguin will be entering the final year of his contract. However, he’s been dealing with injuries for some of his tenure in the Metroplex.
The pressure to re-sign Robertson will be immense. Teams will definitely make a play to land a coveted goalscorer like him. We could see teams offer massive packages to get the young forward. Any combination of first-round picks, prospects, and players could be offered to procure Robertson.
We could also see teams use an offer sheet to force Nill’s hand. The price if the Stars don’t match the sheet could be a steep one. However, a team could be tempted to use that tool to get a proven scorer like Robertson. The last time we saw successful offer sheets was when the St Louis Blues got Dylan Holloway and Phillip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers.
Main photo by: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
