Jason Robertson filed for salary arbitration before Sunday's deadline, a move that removes the threat of an offer sheet from another NHL team and keeps the Dallas Stars' leading scorer in the fold for now while his next contract is sorted out.
Robertson, who turns 27 on July 22, became a restricted free agent after completing a four-year, $31 million deal he signed in 2022. He led Dallas with 96 points last season, scoring 45 goals and adding 51 assists across all 82 games, and earned First Team NHL All-Star honors at left wing.
The filing does not guarantee Robertson returns to the American Airlines Center ice. Unless the two sides agree on a contract beforehand, an arbitrator will set his 2026-27 salary, which would carry him to unrestricted free agency next summer. General manager Jim Nill said last week the organization still hoped to work out a long-term agreement.
Dallas had a sign-and-trade arrangement in place to send Robertson to the Seattle Kraken for the seventh overall pick in last month's draft, but Robertson declined to commit to a long-term deal with Seattle despite a reported eight-year, $120 million offer. The games do not start until September, Nill told reporters, and the arbitration filing is part of the ongoing negotiation.
Robertson was among 15 players league-wide to file before the 5 p.m. ET cutoff. The Stars, who already carry seven players with cap hits above $8 million, have been managing a tight salary structure that includes Mikko Rantanen's $12 million average and Thomas Harley's $10.587 million deal.
