Insider pinpoints the exact moment Jason Robertson's name hit the NHL trade market

The Dallas Stars are gearing up for the 2025-26 season, but instead of the usual preseason buzz, one storyline has dominated the conversation: Jason Robertson's future.

Entering the final year of his contract, the 26-year-old winger has become the focus of speculation, and now an insider has revealed the exact moment his name first popped up in NHL trade discussions.

Despite recording 80 points in 82 games last season, Robertson's six points in 11 playoff games left questions about his postseason impact. With the Stars making a blockbuster move for Mikko Rantanen at the 2025 trade deadline, fans began to wonder if Robertson's place in Dallas was as secure as it once seemed.

Renaud Lavoie explains when Jason Robertson first entered trade chatter

NHL insider Renaud Lavoie recently joined the DLLS Stars Podcast to clear the air. According to him, the rumors started earlier than many realized.

"That rumble started, by the way, at the trading deadline because when Mikko Rantanen was traded, the name of Jason Robertson popped that morning,"Lavoie explained.

He added that the timing reflected Dallas's frustration after another Conference Final exit:

"The reality is, you know, when you're ending a season the way it ended, okay, there was a lot of stuff going on, and after that, the first thing you know, it could be that Jason Robertson could be traded."

While no deal was ever close, the fact that Robertson's name was even circulating was a first. As Sporting News recently noted, Robertson's contract situation will remain one of the league's most-watched storylines this season.

Personally, I think this shows how delicate Dallas's cap puzzle has become. With a Cup window wide open, any uncertainty around a star forward is the kind of distraction that can't linger too long.