Jason Robertson seems like a great Canucks trade candidate
Elite NHL players don’t often pop up on the trade market.
When they do, the teams that are ready to pounce could reap the benefits — just look at how the Florida Panthers built their hockey team.
According to reports, an elite NHL forward could be available via trade this offseason.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and others recently reported that Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson may be on the trade block.
If that’s the case, Canucks’ general manager Patrik Allvin needs to have Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill on speed dial.
Why Canucks should be all-in on Robertson
Robertson is exactly the type of elite offensive piece that the Canucks are sorely lacking up front.
While he might not be a centre, let’s not kid ourselves, the Canucks could desperately use an impactful top-line winger as well.
In terms of Canucks wingers who are signed heading into next season, their top scorers were Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk, and Nils Höglander.
Are any of those guys even first-line calibre? On a Stanley Cup-contending team, they certainly would not be first-line forwards.
Robertson, on the other hand, is one of the best forwards in the game.
The 25-year-old ranks 12th among all NHL players in points over the last three seasons, narrowly ahead of other stars such as Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk, and J.T. Miller. His best season came in 2022-23 when he registered 46 goals and 109 points, but he’s eclipsed the 80-point mark in each of the last two seasons as well.
At even strength, his 2.82 points per 60 ranked fifth overall among NHL players. Remarkably, that 2.82 points per 60 mark was the second-lowest total of his five-year NHL career.
The California native is deceptive with the puck, blending high-volume shooting with an ability to find teammates through traffic in the offensive zone. It’s telling that in terms of expected goals, all of his top linemates over the last three seasons (Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, Wyatt Johnston, and Evgenii Dadonov) have all seen their on-ice possession metrics plummet when playing away from Robertson.
Perhaps one of the only red flags about Robertson is his speed. According to NHL Edge data, he’s one of the slower forwards in the NHL. His speed was also impacted by foot and knee injuries this season.
Why Stars would trade Robertson
With the salary cap increasing from $88.5 million to $95.5 million, many NHL teams are enjoying a little extra breathing room on their balance sheets.
The Stars are not one of those teams.
Dallas has just $455,000 in cap space with just 17 active roster players signed, according to PuckPedia.
Adding to that is the fact that both Robertson and defenceman Thomas Harley are due for substantial raises by the 2026 offseason as well.
It’s been reported that the Stars would rather trade players such as Mason Marchment ($4.5 million cap hit), or defencemen Mathew Dumba ($3.75 million cap hit) and Ilya Lyubushkin ($3.25 million cap hit).
However, based on incoming raises for Robertson and Harley, coupled with the amount of holes they currently have in their lineup, dealing Marchment, Dumba, or Lyubushkin might not be enough. Plus, the fact that they have Mikko Rantanen ($12 million cap hit) in the fold might make Robertson expendable. Can the Stars really afford to pay two wingers north of $11 million per season?
What Canucks could give up for Robertson
The Canucks might not have the deepest stable of assets, but they do have a few pieces that could help pry Robertson out of Dallas.
Despite their current roster being in flux, the Stars are still in win-now mode, meaning that they would probably want a roster player of significance off of the Canucks.
Conor Garland, who has one year left on his deal paying him $4.95 million per season, would give the Stars another top-six winger if Robertson were to leave. Höglander could be another option with a cheaper contract ($3 million annually) and higher upside than Garland. You would have to think one of those two is included in a potential Robertson trade.
The Stars also dealt two first-round picks away in the trade for Rantanen, and they’d certainly like to recoup one of those. The Canucks’ 2026 first-round pick in particular would be the most attractive to Dallas considering they don’t have a first rounder in what appears to be a deep draft.
The Stars’ most pressing need is arguably a right-shot defencemen. They have Miro Heiskanen, Harley, and Esa Lindell on the left side, but their right side currently consists of Dumba, Lyubushkin, and pending UFA Cody Ceci.
Could Filip Hronek be a candidate to be traded to Dallas before his no-move clause kicks in? It might be tough for the Stars to fit him and one of Garland/Höglander under the cap. That makes Canucks top prospect Tom Willander likely to be included in a potential trade for Robertson.
If the Canucks want to get Robertson, a package of their 2026 first-round pick, Willander, and one of Garland or Höglander would likely be what’s needed to get the deal done. Perhaps if the Canucks take an unfavourable contract (like Dumba or Lyubushkin?) off Dallas’ books, they could get another asset back via trade as well.