Is Now the Time for Maple Leafs, Others to Pounce on Jason Robertson Trade?

The Dallas Stars are once again one of the best teams in hockey and a juggernaut in the Central Division, though it’s not all smooth sailing at the moment. Despite sitting second in the NHL with 63 points, the Stars have been skidding lately, going 2-5-4 over their last 11 games.

While every team goes through its ups and downs over the course of an 82-game regular season, this recent stretch has exposed Dallas’ lack of offensive depth—especially with Tyler Seguin out for the year—and it has coincided with increased speculation about a potential trade of superstar winger Jason Robertson.

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Rumors around Robertson reached a fever pitch in the offseason, but GM Jim Nill elected to keep his pending RFA, and that decision has paid off in a big way so far. The 26-year-old has been tremendous this season, having already racked up 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 48 games.

That said, this offensive explosion also means he’ll command more on a new contract, something Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos highlighted when including Robertson on his latest trade board. He did note that this still feels more likely to be a summer move, though if Dallas gets the right offer, a deadline deal remains in play.

Given the Stars’ current struggles, it begs the question of whether they might be more open to considering such a deal sooner than anyone could have initially expected.

Teams Linked to Jason Robertson

Kypreos fueled buzz about the Maple Leafs potentially reuniting the Robertson brothers in Toronto as an idea swirling around league circles, though whether they are capable of meeting Nill’s asking price remains an issue.

NHL Trade Rumors has also recently connected Robertson to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While it’s not a conclusive report and should be taken with a grain of salt, it makes some sense given their abundance of cap space and the fact that they’re currently in the playoffs with Sidney Crosby and the core still performing at a high level.

Insider Elliotte Friedman also mentioned that when the Stars explored Robertson’s market this summer, the Chicago Blackhawks were very much in the mix with interest. Not to mention the Carolina Hurricanes can never be counted out when a big name surfaces, and they, of course, connected with Dallas on a deal of such magnitude just last year.

It still feels unlikely that a Dallas team with Stanley Cup aspirations would move its second-leading point producer midseason. That said, where there’s smoke, there’s fire—and eventually, they’ll have to deal with this contract dilemma.

Next: Anthony Stolarz on the Trade Block? 3 Potential Landing Spots