The Dallas Stars are weighing all options with their leading scorer in need of a new contract. Dallas remains in contract negotiations with star winger Jason Robertson, but are also continuing to explore his trade market, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Robertson led Dallas with 45 goals and 96 points this season. The 2025-26 season marked his second time cresting both 45 goals and 50 assists in the same season, joining his career-best 109-point season in 2022-23.
Robertson will enter restricted free agency if he does not sign a new deal by July 1st. At 26 years old, he could rival the 100-point mark through the bulk of his next contract, though its price tag would eat up more than the projected $10.14MM cap space that Dallas wields, per PuckPedia. The Stars would need a cap-clearing move to bring Robertson back on a deal comparable to Mikko Rantanen (eight-years, $96MM). Signing such a deal would solidify the Stars’ core – with Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen, and Thomas Harley all signed through at least 2029. In such high-pressure talks, the Stars are doing their due diligence to vet all options.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Boston Bruins are hoping to re-sign both winger Viktor Arvidsson and defender Andrew Peeke this summer, general manager Don Sweeney told reporters including Bridgette Proulx of WEEI 93.7. The pair represent Boston’s top unrestricted free agents with free agency set to begin soon. Sweeney specified that there is interest from all sides on finding an agreeable extension. Peeke appeared in a shutdown, second-pair role for much of the year. He was a reliable hard-worker and finished the season with 14 points, 105 hits, and 135 shot blocks in 77 games played. Arvidsson also made an impact from the middle of the lineup. He scored 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games, an encouraging rise after Arvidsson failed to crack 30 points with the Edmonton Oilers last year. Both players should have spots in the lineup carved out for them should they return to Boston.
- Re-signing new acquisition Bowen Byram will be a top priority for the Chicago Blackhawks before free agency opens per Scott Powers of The Athletic. The two sides will target a long-term deal, which should solidify Byram’s standing as one of Chicago’s top defensemen for the foreseeable future. The 25 year old has a career-year with the Buffalo Sabres this season, marked by 11 goals and 42 points, both career-highs. He notched that scoring while spending much of the year next to former first-overall picks Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin. Despite strong company, Byram was not interested in signing a new deal with the Sabres per Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic. Instead, he sought a path to a number-one role on a blue-line. That is an opportunity he should have in full with a Blackhawks team that tried, and failed, to stick Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, and Alex Vlasic into their starring role last season.
