Day 1 of the 2026 NHL free agency cycle is in the books, and the biggest question hanging over Dallas is still the same one: what happens with Jason Robertson?
The Stars forward has been linked to a major payday this summer, but Dallas is working with only about $12.5 million in cap space. That leaves the club in a tight squeeze if it wants to keep one of the top RFAs on the market.
There’s also the trade possibility, of course, but the sense around the situation is that Dallas is trying to find a way to get a deal done. Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin laid out why the team’s moves point in that direction during an appearance on DFO’s free agency special.
Jeff Marek asked, “What do you make of the Robertson situation here?”
Larkin answered, “Dallas is squeezed. We look at the circumstantial evidence.
We use our deductive reasoning. Mavrik Bourque goes out.
Ilya Lyubushkin, we knew he was going out. He was a classic cap dump.
They are clearly trying to find a resolution with Jason Robertson now. I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t happen.
“But you’ve removed Bourque, who was playing on the first line for a lot of the season. You’ve depleted your roster, and you’re going to have to use pretty much all your remaining cap space to sign Jason Robertson.
Because even if you factor in the no state tax in Texas, the cap’s going up. I think if Kaprizov is getting $17 million, I think he can ask for $15 million.
Robertson is ninth in the league in scoring over the last five years. So it’s going to cost everything Dallas has left.
And on paper, this looks like a team that maybe is going to take a step back in the loaded Central Division.”
For now, the market is still waiting on the next move - and Robertson remains the name everyone is watching.
In Other News...
Stars May Have Crossed A Line With Jason Robertson
Jason Robertsons contract situation has become one of the more delicate issues facing Dallas this offseason. The restricted free agent and All-Star forward wants to stay put, but the sides have not been able to bridge the gap on what his next deal should look like, leaving the Stars with a major decision on a core scorer at a time when patience is running thin.
The tension goes beyond simple negotiations, because the organization and Robertson do not appear to see his value the same way. Dallas may have to choose between dragging this into an even messier stalemate or moving him before the season begins, and there is still uncertainty around whether Jim Nill would even take the arbitration route. [Read more 🡒]
Predators Are Already Framing This Ex-Stars Move One Way
Chris MacFarland wasted little time putting his stamp on Nashville after taking over as general manager in 2026, and the early wave of moves has been aimed at a very specific part of the roster. In his first month, the Predators added Ross Colton, Isak Posch, Jack Drury, Nils Hglander and Ilya Lyubushkin while also extending Drury, signaling a clear preference for affordable pieces that can help now without boxing the team in later.
What makes the reshaping especially interesting from a Dallas perspective is how directly one of those additions feeds into Nashvilles push to strengthen the middle of the lineup. The Predators are trying to build around players who can give them useful minutes, scoring touch and flexibility, and the way they have been framing this set of moves suggests they see one former Stars piece as more than just another depth pickup. [Read more 🡒]