With all the rumors swirling around that the Dallas Stars might make Jason Robertson available, it’s safe to say just about every team would be calling. If that’s the case, the Columbus Blue Jackets should absolutely be one of them.
Blue Jackets fans can expect GM Don Waddell to do everything he can to make this team better than it was last season. He might take a swing at landing a big name this summer — and if he can’t, he should look no further than Robertson.
Robertson has been one of the Stars' best players for years, but with Dallas reportedly considering a shake-up, they might be willing to move him. He fits exactly what the Blue Jackets are missing. Playing alongside Kirill Marchenko, Robertson would bring an elite goal-scoring presence, capable of 35–40 goals a season.
The biggest challenge for Waddell will be the asking price. He’s not going to sell the farm to make it happen, nor should he. But there’s no question the Stars would want a big return for a player like Robertson.
They’d likely ask for a roster player or two, a high-end prospect, and a draft pick. Columbus is reportedly open to moving one or both of their first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. If they’re willing to include pick No. 20, that’s a decent starting point.
From there, the Stars might ask about players like Dmitri Voronkov, Cole Sillinger, or Yegor Chinakhov. The Stars might have their sights set on Kent Johnson, which would be a deal-breaker. It’s tough to gauge what Dallas would actually want, especially with how their roster is currently built.
When it comes to prospects, Columbus likely has a few untouchables. Names like Luca Del Bel Belluz, Jet Greaves, and Denton Mateychuk won't be moved. But Waddell might consider moving guys like Luca Pinelli, Gavin Brindley, or Corson Ceulemans. Whether or not that’s enough to move the needle is hard to say.
It’s impossible to know if Waddell would move any of these pieces, or if the Stars would even accept an offer like that. Could something like Voronkov, Chinakhov, Pinelli, the No. 20 overall pick, and a 2027 second-rounder from Minnesota get the deal done? Who knows? What we do know is that if Waddell is serious about adding a player like Robertson, he’ll do everything he can to make it happen — without gutting the future or making people feel like he overpaid.
