The New York Rangers have spent the offseason hunting for the kind of star who can change their ceiling, but one of the biggest names who could reach the market next summer may not be available to them for long. Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson is still a restricted free agent, still without a new deal, and still in a spot where a one-year contract could push him toward unrestricted free agency next summer.
That possibility has made him a player worth watching around the league, especially after he turned down a sign-and-trade with the Seattle Kraken that would have paid him $15 million per year on an eight-year extension. He’s now headed for arbitration, and his hearing is scheduled for July 25. That leaves Dallas with a narrow window to settle things before the situation gets even messier.
For the Rangers, Robertson would look like exactly the kind of addition they’ve been chasing. They’ve already struck out on some of the offseason’s biggest names. Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov all signed extensions before the start of last season, and when New York explored the trade market for Brady Tkachuk and Dylan Larkin, both players were reportedly not interested in landing on the Rangers’ wishlist.
New York did land some help, most notably Pavel Dorofeyev in a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. But even with that move, the Rangers still have room for another top-six scorer, and Robertson fits that bill cleanly. He’s the kind of winger who can pile up goals and give a contender another dangerous layer in the attack.
The problem is that another division rival may be ready to jump the line. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reported that the Pittsburgh Penguins are “ very much open to acquiring Robertson,” and that there is a belief inside the organization that he would be willing to come to Pittsburgh.
“If the Stars come calling, [Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas] won’t hesitate to make a substantial offer for a player he’s long coveted," writes Yohe. "And if Dubas gets to make that offer, there is a growing belief in the Penguins organization that Robertson would be happy to come to Pittsburgh."
That would be a brutal outcome for the Rangers. Pittsburgh is already in the late stages of the Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang era. Malkin re-signed on a one-year deal to avoid free agency, Letang’s game has dipped, especially this season, and Crosby is still producing even as he approaches 40.
If the Penguins can add Robertson, especially on a long-term basis, that changes the picture fast. He would give them the kind of top-six scoring punch that can tilt games, and he’d be the sort of player New York would love to have in its own lineup.
The Penguins also have the draft capital to make a serious run at him. Over the next four years, they own four first-round picks, eight second-round picks, and five third-round picks, giving them plenty of ammunition if Dallas ever decides to move one of its best players.
The Stars may not want to trade Robertson, but the cap situation makes this a difficult puzzle. They don’t appear to have the space to fit the kind of lucrative deal he’s seeking, which is a big reason the two sides haven’t found common ground yet. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking toward that July 25 arbitration hearing.
New York already avoided its own arbitration showdown with Braden Schneider, who signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract for this upcoming season. The Rangers can only wait now and hope the Robertson situation breaks in a direction that keeps him from landing in Pittsburgh - or anywhere else that would take him off their radar.
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