Blackhawks Are Unlikely to Trade for Jason Robertson

The Chicago Blackhawks have what feels like a million assets to use over the next two drafts. They have the fourth overall pick in June this year and have three first-round selections next year. On top of that, they have one of the best prospect pools in the league and are gaining a surplus on that pool. 

With all of that comes the speculation of the Blackhawks making a move with the need to take a critical step forward, and with general manager (GM) Kyle Davidson even emphasizing it, rumors have been swirling. One name popped into the fray, and that’s Jason Robertson. However, a trade between the Stars and Blackhawks is unlikely. 

Robertson and the Stars 

Robertson was the 39th overall pick (second round) in the 2017 Draft and has panned out to be a superstar since then. This season, he tallied 45 goals and 51 assists, tallying up to 96 points in 82 games. That’s his fourth straight full season. Robertson also led the Stars in power-play goals with 15, which would be a breath of fresh air to the Blackhawks’ power play. In the playoffs, he put five goals on the board and eight points in six games before losing in the first round to the Minnesota Wild 4-2. In his career, Robertson has played 62 playoff games and has 52 points. 

The 26-year-old is finishing a four-year, $31 million contract with Dallas and is a restricted free agent (RFA). Right now, it’s still a standstill between Robertson and the organization. Stars GM Jim Nill is one of the best in the business at getting deals done, whether re-signing players or in trades, but this is going to be one of his most difficult challenges.

Robertson will be asking for $12 to $14 million per year, as that is what he’s worth. With the Stars’ cap situation, that’s just not feasible. They have been hesitant, and a possible trade has been put on the table. The Blackhawks are one of the teams mentioned in the sweepstakes, but a trade is most likely not going to take place between the two. 

Blackhawks and Robertson Trade Unlikely

In any return for Robertson, the Stars should (and probably will) be looking for a first-round pick (maybe two, depending on the trade), an immediate impact player, and a prospect. The Blackhawks have the first-round picks, the prospects, or even a young player, but they lack one thing, and that’s immediate impact players they can realistically send over. 

There are players who obviously aren’t going anywhere. If talks start between Davidson and Nill, a player like Teuvo Teravainen, Ryan Donato, or Tyler Bertuzzi will be going over, but even then, it likely doesn’t impress Nill all too much in a trade for a forward like Robertson. If Ilya Mikheyev re-signs, which is a big ‘if’, maybe you send him over to Dallas. Chicago just lacks players that they can afford to give up. 

In terms of young players, the Stars will probably want one of Oliver Moore, Frank Nazar, or Nick Lardis. Davidson says no to Nazar, but he should be fine giving up Lardis or Moore. They’re young players with high upside, but to receive, they’re going to have to give. The question is whether or not he’s willing to give up one of those guys; Lardis has broken out, and Moore was a vital first-round selection when building the foundation for the next core with the idea of bringing a lot of speed into the forward group. 

Plus, they’re in the same division. The Central Division isn’t going to get any easier, and loading up the Blackhawks with the combination of Robertson and Connor Bedard may not be the smartest thing to do from the Stars’ perspective. The Blackhawks will have to pay some sort of tax for being in the same division, as well, and Davidson may not bite on the higher price, as we’ve seen a little bit of that in the past. 

The Blackhawks will be linked to Robertson more and more as we near the end of June, but when it comes to a trade, it’s important to keep expectations in check. It could certainly happen, and this will be the move that “ends” the rebuild, but the Blackhawks may just have too many disadvantages to get it done.