Over this past weekend, the Jason Robertson situation in Dallas took several new turns, and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman used Monday's edition of his 32 Thoughts podcast to pull back the curtain on just how close the Stars superstar came to being traded and where things stand heading into a critical week.

The drama began before a single pick was made at the NHL Draft when reports surfaced that Dallas had a deal in place to send the 26-year-old winger to the Seattle Kraken, complete with a massive eight-year, $120 million extension. 

At the time, the return package going back to Dallas remained unknown, however Friedman has now filled in those blanks. He revealed that Seattle's offer to the Stars included three first round draft picks and a young player, a package that draws a natural comparison to the compensation required for a formal offer sheet.

For context, a player signing an offer sheet worth $12 million or more requires at least four first round picks in compensation, meaning Seattle's reported offer fell just short of that threshold but was still a significant haul that Dallas apparently would have accepted.

The deal ultimately fell apart when Robertson turned down Seattle's extension, which Friedman characterized as a sign of good faith that the star winger wants to remain in Dallas rather than a rejection of the trade itself.

"It has become clear to me that Jason Robertson, his first choice is to stay in Dallas, and I think on some level what Robertson was thinking was in turning down that offer from Seattle it would impact people to understand how much he wants to stay in Dallas and how that shows his desire to stay there," Friedman explained.

However, Friedman was careful to note that the two sides still have a significant gap to bridge when it comes to a new contract, and that neither side appears in any rush to close it.

As the draft weekend progressed, another suitor emerged with Friedman reporting that the Pittsburgh Penguins made a run at Robertson, and that some teams around the league sensed momentum building toward a deal getting done. Ultimately nothing materialized, and Robertson remains a Star for now.

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Friedman laid out four realistic paths forward for the situation with Dallas caving and meet Robertson's demands to re-sign him. They could trade him and recoup assets before losing him for nothing. A team could pursue a formal offer sheet, which would force Dallas to either match or accept the compensation picks. 

Finally, the Stars could issue Robertson a one-year qualifying offer, which could lead to arbitration. Friedman noted that the arbitration route carries a notable downside for Robertson, as it would result in a one-year deal without a no-trade clause, leaving him far more vulnerable to being moved at Dallas's discretion.

Any team pursuing Robertson through a trade will also need to factor in his contract demands. Robertson's camp is already asking for $14 million per season in a no-tax state in Dallas, meaning any team in a state with income tax could be looking at an even higher annual value to get a deal done.

Friedman noted that restricted free agents become available to speak with other teams the day before free agency officially opens, meaning Robertson's camp could begin fielding offer sheet conversations as early as Tuesday.

Despite all the noise, Friedman's reporting made one thing clear in that Robertson's preference is to stay in Dallas. Whether the Stars and their star winger can find a way to make that happen remains the defining question of what has become one of the most complicated contract situations in the league.

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