Jason Robertson Has Now Said No to Two Teams, and the Stars Are Running Out of Moves

The Dallas Stars have a real problem on their hands with Jason Robertson. And it’s getting worse by the day.

First, the 40-goal scorer turned down a trade to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. Then, late that same night, Daily FaceOff’s Jeff Marek reported that Robertson also rejected a move to the St. Louis Blues.

According to Marek, the Blues put together a pretty serious offer — multiple first-round picks — but Robertson wasn’t interested in signing there. “Sources indicating the St. Louis Blues offered a package that included multiple first round picks to the Dallas Stars for Jason Robertson but he is not interested in signing there,” Marek reported.

So that’s two teams down. And the clock is ticking.

It’s About Location, Not Just the Money

Robertson is a restricted free agent who needs a new contract. That much we know. What’s also clear is that he’s not going to sign just anywhere. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on 32 Thoughts that Robertson denied the Seattle trade “because of destination.” That’s a pretty direct hint that the reason wasn’t the reported $120 million offer sheet. It was the city itself.

That’s a tough spot for Stars GM Jim Nill. Teams are lining up to offer first-round picks for Robertson. But if the player won’t agree to terms with a new club, those offers are meaningless. The Stars can’t just ship him out and hope for the best. Robertson holds the leverage here as an RFA who can simply say no.

What Comes Next for Dallas?

The Stars have a few options, none of them great right now. They could try to convince Robertson to sign long-term, but if he’s already blocking trades, that might be a long shot. They could circle back to teams that didn’t make an initial offer and see if there’s a landing spot Robertson actually likes. Or they could let this drag into the season, which helps nobody.

Robertson is a legitimate star. He scored 40 goals last season and has 111 points over his first two NHL seasons. That’s not the kind of player you want to lose for nothing. But the longer this goes, the more the Stars’ leverage erodes. Other GMs know Dallas is in a bind. They’re not going to overpay just to help the Stars out.

For now, the rumor mill keeps churning. ClutchPoints will have more as this develops, but the big takeaway is simple: Robertson has a list of places he will and won’t go. And right now, that list is working against the Stars.