Stars sign Robertson to a very risky late night deal

In case you missed it late last night, the Dallas Stars signed RFA forward Jason Robertson to a four year contract worth $7.75 million per season.

Check it out:

"Jason is an integral part of the present and future of our team and we're thrilled to have him for the next four years," said GM Jim Nill in a prepared statement. "Since he was drafted by our organization, he has worked tirelessly to become a better player every day. His knack for scoring goals and seeing plays develop on the ice are just some of the tremendous assets that he brings to our team. He is one of the best young players in the NHL and we look forward to seeing him continue to progress."

The belief is that the 23 year old Robertson was seeking a long-term deal or a shorter term deal that could see him cash in on his next deal. The Stars, of course, are mired in salary cap trouble thanks to large contracts handed out to veteran players, namely captain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. As it is, it appears that both Robertson and the Stars elected to meet in the middle and commit to a four year deal. It's worth noting that Robertson will become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of this new deal, which is a giant risk for the Stars. Benn will be off the books by then and they will presumably have the money to commit long-term to Robertson, but you have to wonder if he'll be tempted by free agency.

As it is, Robertson is likely a member of the Stars for the next four years and that should get Stars fans excited. After all, this is a kid who broke out BIG TIME in 2021-22 and showed fans across the league what he's capable of. He put up an incredible 41 goals and 79 points in just 74 games and established himself as an absolute game-breaker for a Stars team desperate for high end offense. He's an electric player capable of filling the net each shift. His jump from his 45 point rookie campaign to his over a point-per-game production last season was largely a result of taking on more offensive assignments and then taking advantage of those opportunities. He's a smart player with a quick trigger finger and a nose for the net. In short, he's the kind of guy that the Stars need and can't afford to lose. Personally, I think they'd have been smart to lock him up long-term, but business is business and I'm sure negotiations were strained due to the team's cap situation.