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The Dallas Stars enter the offseason with major decisions looming following their first-round playoff exit.
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One of those has to do with the 26-year-old forward Jason Robertson, whose future in Dallas remains in question as he approaches free agency.
Robertson is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1 following the completion of his four-year, $31 million contract, but negotiations for a long-term extension have yet to yield an agreement.
On Monday, NHL reporter Jeff Marek appeared on Daily Faceoff’s “DFO Rundown” and reported a possible sticking point dragging the negotiations on longer than both sides would prefer.
“I do think that there’s a contract that’s out there and has been out there for Jason Robertson, but he doesn’t want it, and that’s the Thomas Harley deal,” Marek said. “Here’s where the stalemate lurks. It’s the Thomas Harley deal, and I think that Dallas would do that and go full term on it. It’s Harley at the bottom, and it’s Mikko Rantanen at the top. And it’s pretty obvious that all season long, the Mikko Rantanen deal still isn’t appetizing for Dallas [to offer to Robertson].”
Marek’s comments point to a gap between the Stars’ valuation of Robertson and what they are willing to offer, and what Robertson’s camp is seeking for his new deal.
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If Marek’s information is correct, Dallas would offer Robertson something in the $10.6 million range, and far below the $12 million average annual value (AAV) they signed Mikko Rantanen to. The Stars signed defenseman Thomas Harley to that $10.6 million AAV on an eight-year contract inked on Oct. 2025.
Jeff Marek: Re Stars: I do think that there’s a contract that…has been out there for Jason Robertson, but he doesn’t want it, and that’s the Thomas Harley deal; the Mikko Rantanen deal still isn’t appetizing for Dallas [to offer to Robertson] – DFO Rundown (5/4)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) May 6, 2026
Robertson’s contract situation is also complicated by having arbitration rights, with Marek believing the Stars would prefer to avoid arbitration.
“[Robertson] has arbitration rights, and I don’t think they want to go that direction, because he can take the one-year (contract), not get traded, and say, ‘See you later,’ it’s Mitch Marner 2.0,” Marek said. “I don’t think Dallas wants to get into that [arbitration] room. I think they need to have a decision before. Either we have a deal, or we have a trade.”
Robertson is coming off a career season in which he scored 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists) while appearing in all 82 regular-season games. He hasn’t missed a regular-season game for four consecutive years, scoring 365 points in 328 games during that span.
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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 8:47 AM.