The Pittsburgh Penguins have a problem. It’s a good problem, but still a problem: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin aren’t going to play forever. And while Kyle Dubas has spent the summer adding depth pieces and signing Nick Robertson to a new deal, the real long-term play might be sitting in Dallas.
According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, the Penguins remain very interested in Jason Robertson. Yes, the same Robertson who just filed for arbitration and turned down trade talks with St. Louis and Seattle. The same guy who plays for the Stars and happens to be the older brother of the guy Pittsburgh just traded for.
“The Penguins are still very much open to acquiring Robertson, whom they believe could be a short- and long-term building block for president/GM Kyle Dubas’ vision,” Yohe wrote, citing anonymous team sources. “The Penguins, as previously reported, believe there is a real chance Robertson would agree to play in Pittsburgh. Trading for his brother, Nick Robertson, doesn’t figure to hurt the cause.”
The Robertson Situation in Dallas
Jason Robertson is a restricted free agent. He filed for arbitration on Sunday, which means he can’t sign an offer sheet from another team. That’s a big deal. It limits the Penguins’ options. They can’t just throw a contract at him and dare Dallas to match. They need the Stars to actually engage in trade talks.
And so far? The Stars haven’t bit. Yohe reported that Dubas wanted to have real conversations with Dallas GM Jim Nill, but Nill never let things get serious. Not yet. Dallas is holding out hope that they can sign Robertson long-term.
But here’s where it gets interesting. The Penguins believe they have a real chance. They already have his brother in the locker room. They have cap flexibility if they get creative. And they have a history of making aggressive moves when they see a window.
What Has to Happen Next
Three things need to line up. First, Dallas has to actually listen. That means Nill has to decide that Robertson isn’t part of his long-term plan, which is a big ask. Second, Robertson has to be willing to sign in Pittsburgh. The team thinks he would be, but that’s not the same as a guarantee. Third, Dubas has to put together an offer that makes sense—draft picks, prospects, salary going back—without gutting the roster.
It’s a complicated puzzle. But the Penguins are clearly trying to solve it. They’re not just kicking tires here. They’re genuinely trying to land a 25-year-old forward who could bridge the gap between the Crosby era and whatever comes next.
Fans online have been buzzing since the report dropped. Some see it as a pipe dream. Others point out that Dubas has pulled off bigger surprises before. Either way, this one is far from dead.
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