Jason Robertson Signs One-Year Deal; Sets Up 2027 Free Agency
The Dallas Stars announced that they have signed the restricted free agent winger to a one-year contract carrying a $12 million average annual value, avoiding an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for Saturday.
"Jason has been a cornerstone of our franchise since he was drafted in 2017," Stars GM Jim Nill said. "A dynamic and skilled player, he has been one of the league's top offensive threats since making his NHL debut. We're excited for what this season will bring for both Jason and the team as we continue our push to bring a championship to Dallas."
Dallas announces it has signed Jason Robertson
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 22, 2026
1 year, $12M
He will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, but is eligible to sign an extension Jan 1 https://t.co/mpuS1T3dr2
Nill Held His Line
The $12 million figure is very interesting because it's exactly where Dallas had drawn its line.
Previous reporting indicated Nill had a salary red line he did not want to cross, and that number was the $12 million his other star winger, Mikko Rantanen, is making through the 2032-33 campaign.
Robertson had been seeking north of $14 million and turned down multiple avenues to get there.
The #TexasHockey signed RFA Jason Robertson to a 1 year $12M Deal. It is all salary (no signing bonus).
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 22, 2026
He was an RFA with a pending arbitration case who had a $9.3M Qualifying Offer.
By signing a 1-year deal, he will be a UFA next summer, & is eligible to sign an extension Jan…
He rejected a sign-and-trade to Seattle that would have paid him a reported $120 million over eight seasons, making him the highest-paid player in the NHL, declined to sign in St. Louis despite the Blues offering multiple first-round picks, and told Ottawa no as well.
In the end, he stays in Dallas at the number the Stars wanted.
Why Next Summer Is Big
Robertson, who turns 27 this week, is now set to hit unrestricted free agency in July 2027, giving him something he has never had in his career: complete control over his destination with no team able to block him.
He becomes eligible to sign an extension with Dallas on January 1, 2027, though there is a wrinkle in that timing, as eight-year extensions are being phased out when the new CBA kicks in roughly two months from now, meaning the maximum term available will be seven years.
The Stars will have more room to maneuver by then, with Tyler Seguin's $9.85 million cap hit coming off the books that same summer.
If they cannot get it done, Robertson becomes the biggest prize on the open market.
Teams Most Likely To Chase Him
Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins top the list, and family could be the biggest reason.
Kyle Dubas acquired Nick Robertson from Toronto for a fourth-round pick and signed him to a two-year, $3.25 million AAV contract, meaning the younger Robertson is under contract in Pittsburgh through the 2027-28 season.
That timing lines up perfectly with Jason hitting the market.
Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported a growing belief within the Penguins organization that Robertson would be happy to play in Pittsburgh, and it was reported back in January that Dubas "absolutely loves" him.
Pittsburgh also has the cap flexibility to pay the $14 million Robertson has been seeking, something Dallas was unwilling to do.
Seattle Kraken.
Seattle already showed exactly how badly they want him, putting an eight-year, $120 million offer on the table this summer.
Robertson would not sign there when it meant committing long-term as an RFA, but the Kraken's willingness to go to $15 million annually makes them a name to watch when he can choose freely.
Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks inquired this summer and have both the cap space and the motivation, with a young core built around Connor Bedard that badly needs an established elite winger.
New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey has spent this entire offseason hunting a top-six forward to play alongside Jack Hughes and was among the teams that reached out on Robertson, making them a logical suitor again in 12 months.
The money is not hard to justify.
Robertson led the Stars in scoring last season with 45 goals and 51 assists for 96 points in 82 games, the second-highest scoring season of his career, with his 45 goals tying for fourth in the NHL and marking his third 40-goal campaign.
He added five goals and eight points in six playoff games before Dallas was eliminated in the first round.
Drafted 39th overall in 2017, he has 213 goals and 490 points across 456 career games, with his best season coming in 2022-23 when he posted 46 goals and 109 points and earned first-team all-star honors.
