Shap and Tiffin: What does this all mean for Jason Robertson's next contract?

With the NHL's new richest deal sign, I chat with Robert Tiffin to discuss what happens next for the Stars and Jason Robertson.

Credit to IMAGN Images/EP

Kirill Kaprizov finally got what he wanted from Minnesota, and the repercussions will be felt around the league, both immediately (see Luke Hughes) and in years to come. That includes Dallas, where another certain left winger became eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1, the same day as Kaprizov.

That player is Jason Robertson, who is about to begin the final year of his four-year bridge deal that has paid him an average of $7.75 million each season. And despite rumors swirling about his potential as a trade candidate, Jim Nill has been pretty clear: the Stars are “actively trying” to sign Robertson long-term. But how and when that will happen is more unclear than ever, now that Kaprizov has set an entirely new standard for high-scoring winger salaries.

Still, negotiations are all about finding middle ground. So with that said, is it even possible for the Stars and Robertson to come to an agreement that makes sense for both sides? Let’s find out.

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Robert: From the team’s perspective, Robertson’s profile as a player is pretty clear: He’s a scoring winger who excels in the regular season, but who isn’t quite as dependable in the playoffs. He’s notoriously not the faster skater, and he’s not typically the first player into the corners to win puck battles. And besides, Mikko Rantanen just signed for $12 million, and he’s been a better version of Robertson throughout his entire career, and for much longer. Why should a desperate Minnesota deal convince Dallas to break the bank just to keep a player who is arguably not even one of the three important players on his own team?

Sean: I think that’s a good place to start, the Wild had to sign Kaprizov. Absolutely had to. The Wild, as a franchise, couldn’t afford to lose him. The Stars from a fan, media, and team-building perspective, can lose Robertson and it won’t be considered an implosion. Once we establish that key difference, we can talk about the similarities. Robertson in 374 career games has 394 points. Kaprizov in 319 games has 386 points. More points per game for Kaprizov, but Robertson has proven way more durable. On paper, if you are Robertson’s agent, that’s a pretty early argument that your client is in Kaprizov territory.