For Jason Robertson, it was just a matter of time.
It was about having time to see where the Dallas Stars forward was, where the team was, how the two could figure out what was best for each side.
“It was no surprise,” the forward said on Wednesday, a day after he signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Stars.
“Everyone can see that they are in a little (salary cap) crunch. At the end of the day, they had my rights, right? I wasn’t free to go anywhere this year so, the chances of staying in Dallas this offseason were high obviously because of that.
It just happened in this way and obviously we’ll have time to revisit it later this year.”
Robertson, who turned 27 on Wednesday, was a restricted free agent and avoided a salary arbitration hearing. He had filed for arbitration on July 5.
Still, it’s been quite the road for Robertson and the Stars to reach their agreement. On June 25, Robertson reportedly turned down an eight-year contract worth $15 million annually from the Seattle Kraken, who had agreed to acquire Robertson via a sign-and-trade. Dallas general manager Jim Nill confirmed the potential trade two days later.
Robertson, however, didn’t discuss that on Wednesday.
“I mean, knowing now, knowing what happened yesterday, I’d like to leave everything in the past and what happened from then to now doesn’t matter anymore,” he said. “We just want to focus on having a great summer this year, coming to camp ready to go and try to win a (Stanley) Cup.”
Brien Rea joins NHL Tonight to discuss Jason Robertson's one-year deal
It definitely didn’t hurt his relationship with the Stars, who will work to sign Robertson to a long-term deal; he’s eligible to do so beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
“I talked to Jason this morning. We had a good talk,” Nill said on Wednesday. “He’s up in Detroit, he just wants to continue his training, get excited about this year.
He loves hockey and he just wants to be training and know where he wants to be for this season. So that’s a long story short.”
Robertson has been eligible to sign a new deal since July 1, 2025. If it bothered him going into last season, the final year of the four-year, $31 million contract ($7.75 million average annual value) he signed with Dallas on Oct. 5, 2022, it didn’t show.
He was tremendous, leading the Stars with 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists) in 82 regular-season games and eight points (five goals, three assists) in six Stanley Cup Playoff games against the Minnesota Wild, who eliminated Dallas in the Western Conference First Round.
Since the start of the 2020-21 season, Robertson leads the team in goals (213), assists (276), points (489), power-play goals (60) and power-play points (156).
“I think just doing it for myself is the most important thing,” he said. “I mean, having one of the best seasons for anyone, really, for me especially four years ago (when he had a career-high 109 points in 2022-23), having had such a big season (and) then a little drop-off the season after and the season after and thinking, ‘If you can get back to where you want to be,’ is just super encouraging to myself, knowing I still have it, I know there’s another level.
“I made it very clear with you all throughout the season that I thought I was playing the best hockey of my career and just having the best time and the most opportunity, the most shots, the most scoring chances, creating, a well-rounded game, everything. So, knowing that and doing that last year, then having a full offseason of training and on-ice skating and just really having that confidence of coming back and knowing there’s more and there’s more I can keep doing and keep working, it’s exciting.”
The wait is over for Robertson and the Stars. Yes, it’ll be another season of contract talks being a constant topic, but he’s been here, done this before.
“It’s a fantastic team, fantastic organization, fantastic players, staff and everything so I’m very comfortable being in this situation. I’m excited for it,” he said.
“The team is only going to get better this season. Obviously there were a couple of injuries last year that hurt us. A couple of players (are) taking new steps, the older veterans still have a lot of juice left, so I’m excited for the season, I’m excited to come in healthy.
I’ve had a great offseason so far. I haven’t had to worry about any (issues, such as) foot surgery, like a couple of years ago. I’m full go and very excited to get started.”