Jason Robertson’s Future Stands Between Dallas and Dylan Larkin

The Detroit Red Wings have officially suspended Dylan Larkin without pay, and interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said Larkin has informed the team he will no longer play for Detroit. One of the 10 teams on Larkin’s approved trade list is the Dallas Stars, and Pierre LeBrun told TSN on Thursday that the list has not been expanded. It remains to be seen whether Larkin ends up in Dallas or elsewhere. If the Stars want in on the Dylan Larkin trade market, can they move now, or do they have to wait?

Dallas Stars Need to Sign Jason Robertson Before Any Dylan Larkin Trade

Jason Robertson is being paid $12 million this season on the one-year contract he signed in July to avoid arbitration, a deal that sends him to unrestricted free agency next summer. He is 27 years old and should be Dallas’s number one priority before trading for Larkin. The Stars cannot sign him to an extension until Jan. 1.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wrote in his team-by-team look at Larkin’s market, “I don’t believe that the Stars have been involved or feel they can be a player in this. They’ve got Jason Robertson and his future to figure out first.”

This would be the right approach for the Stars organization. It would be a little silly for them to trade for Larkin now instead of waiting until January to sign Robertson. If he is signed in January to a long-term deal and if Larkin is not traded yet, then by all means Dallas should make a move for him then.

Dallas is not the only name on the list that is sitting still, either. TSN’s Chris Johnston said a number of the 10 teams are not in active talks with Detroit right now, and that the Minnesota Wild are believed to have the strongest offer on the table, with two roster players and multiple first-round picks.

Jason Robertson’s Numbers Show Why He Comes First

Robertson has played in 13 games this season for the Stars. He has scored five goals and recorded eight assists for 13 points, with a plus-5 rating, according to NHL.com. Robertson is very important for the future of the Stars. There is a chance that he could get a big payday from Dallas.