Jason Robertson Could Be Dealt and the Flyers Need to Go All In

Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) shoots and scores as Philadelphia Flyers' Nick Seeler (24) defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, April 6, 2023, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

It’s not so often that skilled scorers become available for trades, but when they do, teams like the Flyers have to be all over them.

Philadelphia is still in the midst of a rebuild, but talent like Jason Robertson can help accelerate the process and turn them into a contender sooner rather than later.

Robertson is an elite scorer, who, at just 25 years old, already has a 100-point season and has not scored less than 79 points since his rookie season. He already has two 40+ goal seasons and two 50+ assist seasons.

Robertson will be 26 when the 2025/26 season gets underway, and if he is truly available, the Flyers need to go all in.

Would Dallas Really Trade a 26-Year-Old Star?

The idea of the Dallas Stars trading Jason Robertson is ridiculous, or at least it was. Never in a million years would I have thought a team would consider trading a 25-year-old (almost 26) superstar in the making, but here we are.

No team source has confirmed the trade rumors. But, The Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek made a lot of sense in “The Sheet Blog” and explained a Robo trade.

Dallas became aggressive at the trade deadline, moving picks and future star players for immediate talent, but fell short. Furthermore, they invested a significant amount of long-term money in Mikko Rantanen after acquiring him. All of their aggressiveness fell short of the team’s goal.

The Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals yet again and want to make upgrades. The problem? They are in cap purgatory.

Including Robertson’s $7.75 million contract, the Stars have just a hair under $5 million in cap space this offseason. They have just eight forwards, six defenseman, and two goalies under contract. It’s hard to make upgrades when you don’t even have enough cap space to have 12 rostered forwards. Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund both need to be paid this offseason and could potentially walk if Dallas can’t afford to do so.

Looking forward to next offseason, Robertson needs to be paid, along with Mason Marchment and Thomas Harley. Moral of the story? Dallas has to lose something to gain something.

Marek wrote that the Stars could trade Robertson to obtain cap relief while also recouping some of the draft capital they lost at the deadline. That would allow them to bring in new talent yet again.

That is where the Flyers come into play.

The Flyers Are the Perfect Fit

So, the Stars would want cap relief and draft picks, huh? I know a team that can take on cash AND give up some draft picks.

The Flyers are projected to have somewhere around $11-12 million in cap space, assuming both Cam York and Jakob Pelletier sign extensions. They can afford to take on some money. Philadelphia also has plenty of draft picks in this coming draft, as well as in 2027. The Flyers also have a handful of prospects that could entice Dallas to make the trade.

There will be plenty of teams bidding for Robertson’s services, assuming Dallas will actually field calls. I guess that their preference would be to trade him east, which helps the Flyers beat out a couple of teams that could be competitors.

The Flyers have a desperate need for natural and skillful scoring, and Robertson would fill that hole.

Robertson is a 6’3″ left-winger who is loaded with skill. He has unbelievably good hands, a quick release, and is one of the best hockey minds in the league – he sees the ice at an entirely different level. He has a great shot, is solid in front of the net (which the Flyers desperately need), and is a great playmaker.

Even though he is not a center, Robertson would be a perfect linemate for Matvei Michkov. No matter who centers that line, it would be amongst the best in the league. Both players see the game in a whole different way. It would be an extremely fun line to watch.

What Would a Flyers Trade for Robertson Look Like?

If the Stars trade Robertson, they’re looking for draft capital and cap relief. That would immediately take Rasmus Ristolainen off the board, even though the Stars would likely love a big, physical defenseman (and he’s Finnish).

However, if the Stars waited until after July 1st to trade Robertson, that could put Ristolainen back on the table. The Flyers won’t have an open retention spot until July 1st when Andrei Kuzmenko’s salary comes off. Dallas may not be able to take on all $5.1 million of Risto’s AAV right now, but $2.55 million would seem much more manageable for the next two seasons.

That would be a win-win, except that it would eliminate any 2025 NHL Draft picks from consideration, which the Flyers have the most in.

That would mean no Ristolainen in the trade, and it would be more pick-based. The Flyers will want to keep No. 6, and they should be able to. That would mean pick No. 22 is the starting point. The Edmonton pick (31 or 32) will also be required, as well as a future first, possibly the 2027 Toronto pick.

I would not be shocked if Dallas demanded one of the Flyers’ four 2025 second-round picks as well. But hey, it’s for Jason Robertson, the cost is not supposed to be low.

Dallas may want a cheap player or prospect in return. If they want to get tougher, Nikita Grebenkin could be an enticing option. If they want a prospect with skilled upside, Alex Bump could enter the conversation.

Marek never mentioned prospects or fringe NHL players, but if Dallas wants to fill out their roster with cheaper players, near NHL-ready prospects could be the solution. Regardless, the Flyers will still have to give up significant draft capital to make it happen.