The Edmonton Oilers pulled off a trade recently, acquiring Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks to help bolster their defensive depth, and it doesn’t seem like they’re done there. With the 2026 Trade Deadline just a couple of days away, the Oilers still need to clear cap space if they want to make any more additions to their roster in hopes of making a deep playoff run. If they’re able to do that, targeting Dallas Stars’ Jason Robertson should be something they consider doing.
Related: Connor Murphy: Everything to Know About Oilers’ Newest Acquisition
Robertson is in the final season of a four-year contract that has a $7,750,000 cap hit and is a pending restricted free agent (RFA). Fans have been speculating for months about the Stars being open to moving Robertson if they can’t find a way to extend him by the trade deadline, and if that becomes a possibility, the Oilers need to do whatever it takes to bring him in.
Robertson, who is 26 years old, has scored 34 goals and added 36 assists for 70 points through 60 games this season. He has proven to be one of the most elite all-around players in the NHL and would be a huge boost to the Oilers as they try to push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
For the Stars, they would be smart to take advantage of a buyer’s market. Robertson is an RFA, which gives the Stars a chance to send him a qualifying offer and make a trade in the offseason if they see fit, but they might be able to get a larger return this time around.
Of course, the expectation is that the Stars want to keep Robertson and try to extend him, but if they are too far apart in negotiations, making a trade makes sense. For the Oilers, they were in on Mikko Rantanen last season, so trying to pull off a trade for a superstar isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Oilers Would Have to Make Some Other Moves
There would be reason to believe that the Stars would be willing to retain half of Robertson’s contract to maximize a trade return if they chose to move him, knocking his cap hit down to $3,875,000. On top of that, the Oilers are projected to have over $14.3 million in cap space available next season, giving them more than enough room to give Robertson a long-term extension.
The biggest thing for the Oilers would be moving Andrew Mangiapane. His $3.6 million cap hit has been close to impossible to trade, but if they can attach a draft pick to him and give him a fresh start, the Oilers would be able to then shift their focus to Robertson. Of course, every indication is that the Oilers aren’t going to focus on a big-name acquisition, but there is always a chance they surprise everyone.
The Oilers have the assets to make a deal work, whether it’s moving Quinn Hutson, Matthew Savoie, or Isaac Howard, and they have the draft picks to entice the Stars to accept a move for Robertson. Realistically, it may take Hutson, their 2027 first-round pick, their 2028 first-round pick, and two second-round picks to bring Robertson in, but for one of the best hockey players in the world, that’s a deal they shouldn’t hesitate on.
Time will tell if the Stars end up even making Robertson available, but if his name gets out there, the Oilers should do whatever it takes to acquire and extend him.
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