Robertson signs 1-year, $12 million contract with Stars - NHL.com

Forward led Dallas with 96 points last season, avoids arbitration hearing © Sam Hodde/Getty Images Jason Robertson signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The forward, who turned 27 on Wednesday, was a restricted free agent and avoided a salary arbitration hearing. He had filed for arbitration on July 5. Robertson led Dallas with 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists) in 82 regular-season games last season. He also had eight points (five goals, three assists) in six Stanley Cup Playoff games. "I mean, Dallas obviously it's where I started. I've built a great career out here and obviously throughout the summer you see where the League is going, see what happens and everything," Robertson said Wednesday. "Obviously if anything was going to work for me, just to keep reevaluating because things were happening so quickly and things are changing that going this route and seeing what happens, see what's going to happen and reevaluate and have the time and everything, it helps along the way. I'm happy to be playing with them starting in September and we'll see where it goes." Robertson has led the Stars in points in three of the past four seasons, including in 2022-23, when he had an NHL career-high 109 points (46 goals, 63 assists) in 82 games. Since 2020-21, Robertson leads the team in goals (213), assists (276), points (489), power-play goals (60) and power-play points (156). "During negotiations, it was very clear through Jason's representatives that he wanted to be a Dallas Star," general manager Jim Nill said Wednesday. "And so we went through negotiations, looked at all different scenarios, long term, short term. And in the end, this was probably the best fit for ... his contract status in the League and timing for our team. So, we're very happy to have him signed, and go forward from there. "I think it’s what he deserves. I think we're both ... it's one of those deals. When you go to arbitration, there's different scenarios that come into play. But would we like long term? Probably. Would he like term? Probably. But when you get down to a one-year deal, I think this is what worked for both parties."  Robertson is eligible to sign a new long-term contract with Dallas on Jan. 1, 2027, and Nill said the objective is to make sure that happens. "Well, that's when we can do a new agreement," Nill said. "But I think we'll be talking before that. And, you know, things happen. It's a long ways away. A lot of things happen in this game. You know, you look back over the last two, three years, things that happen in the business. You don't know, but that's our plan.  "Let's get the season going. He knows where he's at. We're happy where he's at. We're happy he wants to be a Dallas Star. We want him to be a Dallas Star. I've had those discussions. Like I said, we want to make this work, and so does he."  Selected by Dallas in the second round (No. 39) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Robertson has 490 points (213 goals, 277 assists) in 456 regular-season games, and 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) in 62 playoff games. "I kind of knew where it was going, Saturday kind of being that (arbitration) deadline and those meetings and everything," Robertson said. "I think it was in our best interest to try to avoid that and try to figure out something before that and do something that we'd both be content and happy with. … At the end of the day, we're glad that we avoided it and now I can focus on this upcoming year." NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers and independent correspondent Robert Tiffin contributed to this report The NHL App is Your Home for HockeyDive in with all-new features: A reimagined Stats experience, incorporating EDGE Advanced Stats; "How To Watch" helps navigate your tune-in choices; Apple Live Activites to set-and-forget for as many teams as you want, plus a whole lot more.