Following another loss in the Western Conference Final this year, the Dallas Stars entered the offseason with a ton of questions. Much of this had to do with the contract of star Jason Robertson, who will be entering the final year of his deal before he hits restricted free agency.
Robertson and the Stars have tried to come to terms on a new deal, but there seems to be a gap between the two sides. There has been speculation that Dallas could look to trade Robertson following the stalemate in contract talks.
Much of the trade rumors around Robertson have seemed to die down as the offseason has continued, but the star remains without a new contract. This narrative could linger into the regular season, something that Dallas likely doesn't want to happen.
NHL writer Lyle Richardson of Bleacher Report said that there is still uncertainty over the situation.
"The Stars seem content to retain Robertson and see how he performs under new head coach Glen Gulutzan. Nevertheless, the ongoing media trade chatter and uncertainty over his contract situation could keep his name in the rumor mill throughout this season," Richardson wrote.
This comes only a few weeks after a report from Sean Shapiro of DLLS Sports that said Dallas gauged the market for a trade of Robertson this summer. It was reported that the Stars held a very high asking price for the veteran and that no deal came close to happening.
The Stars will need to deal with Robertson's contract sooner rather than later to avoid any unnecessary distractions in the season. Dallas is firmly locked in on going after a Stanley Cup title this season, and they can't afford to let contract negotiations get in the way.
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