After coming up short in the last two Western Conference finals, the Dallas Stars were considered a favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season, especially after acquiring right winger Mikko Rantanen.

However, they fell again in the Conference final, with the Edmonton Oilers eliminating them for the second straight time.

A team that was built to win it all this season heads into the off-season facing an uncertain future. Some observers speculate GM Jim Nill could shake things up by peddling left winger Jason Robertson in a blockbuster trade. 

The Stars have less than $5 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 16 active roster players under contract. Aging captain Jamie Benn and fellow veteran forwards Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Evgenii Dadonov are UFA-eligible on July 1. Nill must also ensure he has sufficient long-term cap room to sign rising star defenseman Thomas Harley to a contract extension this summer. 

Robertson, 25, has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7.75 million. He'll be an RFA with arbitration rights next summer and a UFA the following year if he and the Stars agree to a one-year deal.

Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News examined the pros and cons of trading Robertson. His changing role following the acquisition of Rantanen, and the fact that he's due for a substantial raise on his next contract, are among her arguments for moving him. Shipping out Robertson for draft picks, prospects, or promising, affordable players would provide cap flexibility and restock their prospect pool.

Daily Faceoff's Jeff Marek wondered if Nill might consider shopping Robertson to clear cap space for “big-game hunting” in this summer's trade or free-agent markets. He suggested the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks as potential destinations, with Toronto Maple Leafs right winger Mitch Marner as a possible UFA target. 

Trading Robertson to free up cap space for other signings (like Harley) while stocking up on futures seems a sensible course to retool the roster. Moving him out to add an older, more expensive star could put the Stars in cap hell and do nothing to help them improve their prospect pipeline.

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