The Dallas Stars made one of the boldest moves of the 2025 offseason when they acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes. The trade brought one of the NHL’s most productive forwards to Texas, immediately elevating the Stars into a Stanley Cup contender. However, the move also created a significant financial challenge for management to address. Jason Robertson remains on an expiring contract and will command a significant raise as one of the league’s premier goal scorers.
With both players requiring substantial long-term commitments, questions have intensified about whether Dallas can afford to keep both stars. Stars general manager Jim Nill recently addressed that exact question and made his intentions crystal clear.
How Will the Stars Afford Both Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson?
Nill appeared on After Hours with Scott Oake to discuss the Stars’ season and their contract situation. When asked directly whether Dallas can afford both Rantanen and Robertson in the long term, the GM didn’t hesitate with his response.
“We’ll find a way to do it,” Nill answered confidently. He pointed to the organization’s track record of successfully managing difficult cap situations. “We’ve always found ways. These are great players. It’s hard to find goal scorers.”
The comment signals that Dallas views both forwards as untouchable pieces of their championship core. Nill elaborated on his discussions with Robertson specifically. The young winger struggled in 2023-24 after missing all of training camp due to a contract holdout. The extended absence led to a slow start that hampered his production throughout the campaign.
“When I talked to Jason over the summer, he had a tough year the year before. He missed all of training camp, got off to a slow start. That’s what we discussed,” Nill explained. The GM wanted Robertson to bounce back in a contract year while representing his country at the upcoming Olympics. “Come in, I want you to have a good year. It’s an Olympic year, lot of things going on. He’s performing for us, and it’s great to see,” Nill said.
What Has Robertson Accomplished in 2024-25?
Robertson has delivered exactly what management hoped for this season. The 25-year-old has rediscovered his elite scoring touch and looks like the player who nearly won the Rocket Richard Trophy two seasons ago. His resurgence has been one of Dallas’s biggest storylines through the first quarter of the campaign.
For Dallas, keeping both Rantanen and Robertson represents a significant cap challenge. Rantanen’s $12 million annual hit is already on the books through 2032-33. Robertson will likely command a similar figure when his extension gets negotiated. Nill’s confidence stems from years of successfully navigating difficult situations. Whether Dallas ultimately succeeds in signing Robertson to a long-term extension remains to be seen.