Thanks for assessing Harley so clearly. It bums me out how often I see fans talking about Harley like he’s poison, when he literally had one down year. He’s 25!!
Stars fans are shi***** all over Robo right now, calling him average. And Robo at least has put up quality work in the past 5 seasons…
Some have a gripe because Harley was made one of the highest paid D-Man in the league after just a single season with the team…Only to immediately regress the following year. His extension has also created a more complex negotiating situation with Robo, who has proven himself to be one of the best scorers in the league.
Maybe Harley gets there one day…but there is no guarantee and paying $10M ((right now) seems like an overpay based on his most recent production. Great that he performs well on international stages but that doesn’t concern me as a Stars fan.
*some Stars fans… Not all fans are discounting Robertson and his talent. I think the negative comments are from the loyal listeners of a certain local radio station.
A lot of Stars fans lol. Just look at Reddit. Positive remarks defending Robo get downvoted and the general consensus is that he’s entitled and doesn’t deserve more than $12M. That he isn’t a top player in the league, not better than so and so, he screwed them by not going to a bottom feeder team, etc.
Did you read my last comment? I think several fan are influenced by a local radio guy that hates on Robo. Don’t care about a bunch of keyboard warriors as I know there are lots of smart fans that don’t spend all their time on Reddit, IG, X, etc. picking fights and talking smack.
Did you read mine lol? Not every fan listens to radio or cares about Bobby dude. Some fans genuinely believe Robo is selfish and entitled and “how dare he ask for more than $12M” because they are believing reports painting him as unreasonable…
Ok… Robo’s camp is playing hardball, trade him and Harley to Columbus… w/o extension… without linemates Robo risks having down year, and I bet the S CA boy hates the Midwest… (I love Robo btw!)… get Werenski and Marchinko back. The Stars are better!
I wish that I could come up with a good solution for this mess. What does Robo want? Does he turn down $15 million if the team is Florida or Tampa Bay rather than Seattle or St. Louis? I doubt it. My belief is that he wants to be paid $15 million by a team that is a serious Stanley Cup contender. Who knows, he might even settle for slightly less. But he won’t take $13 million (free of state income tax and "wealth taxes") to stay in Dallas, either. Does he want to stay here at a higher number, but at the cost of crippling his team’s ability to pay other players that they need to acquire or keep to stay in a Stanley Cup competitive window? I’m not sure that Robo really knows what he wants.
Right now the Stars are still in that window, but it might be starting to close. Their prospect pool is already thin; so is their draft capital for the next few years. If they do trade or qualify Robo, they should be seeking draft picks. But they were already thin at left wing to begin with.
Why would the Stars rush the Robo decision? Seems like they have the upper hand at the moment. Options include:
- continue trying to sign Robo at 8 years x $12M or $12.5M (who knows, Robo might identify that as his best option)
- work with Robo and another team on a sign and trade that includes a nice return
- qualify Robo and see if any team is willing to surrender 4 first rd draft picks
- go to arbitration with Robo and lock him up for a one year deal at around $12M (which I believe is the rate he would get). This is the most undesirable option, but also allows the Stars to offer in January the $14M Robo seeks without killing their cap.
Selling low on him right now seems like an awful idea. Any trade package you would get now for him without an extension in place will probably be equivalent to what you could get at the deadline.
I don’t see how trading Robo benefits the Stars either in the more immediate or long term. That forward lines actually look painful to me, if that’s what you’re going into the season with.
The FO mangling this has me looking at them differently.
I don't think it was absurd a year ago to think that $12 million would have been enough to get Robertson done. Everyone else has been willing to come down a bit to stay here. I wonder if they always figured this was a possibility, if he truly didn't want to budge.
A year ago $12M probably gets it done because that’s where the market was at. Mikko had just signed at $12M. Others in a similar ball park. But they chose to extend Harley and wait on Robo…and between then and now, the market shifted - as demanded by the cap. Eichel signed a new extension. Market dynamics are so fluid year to year. Seen players net millions more in other sports simply by waiting a season to begin contract talks.
1. If they go the QO route do you think the STL and SEA $15mil “offers” would be enough for an arbiter to push Robertson above $12 in an arbitration case?
2. IF they go the trade (without extension route) and for example’s sake he ends up in Columbus. With no extension in place is he STILL able to be offer-sheeted as a new Columbus RFA with no contract in place?
I don't think arb would push him horribly high, but certainly into double digits. And again, the unknown factor involved there has to be unappealing if you're Dallas. I suspect they want to get this all done, and in a way they can control.
The availability of ZW changes everything. Rather than trading Robertson for less than full value (if it’s not a sign and trade) you need to pivot and see if Columbus will accept Harley and Steel (or whatever package you can put with Harley) for ZW. That saves you 1M that you can use to bridge the gap and sign Robertson for 13.5M or 14M.
You were already going to have to trade Lyubushkin, Faksa and Steel in order to give Robo 12.5M and sign Bourque. This lets you keep Robo and Bouque and upgrades the defense at the same time. Feel bad for Harley but I’ll take my chances with 2 years of ZW and they should have room then to re-sign him if he’s willing.
He will get more than 9 after arbitration, I am sure. If he doesn't sign an offer sheet, then everything is possible, but usually teams and players that are this far apart in valuation tend to go their separate ways eventually. We will see what happens.
The biggest problem is that Robertson would prefer to sign long-term right now, so he is pushing for the big deal, and a one-year deal carries risk for him. Though I do think the risk of an offer sheet is slightly less now than it was a week ago, since Robertson has made it clear he isn't just looking for the maximum $$$.
Teams also hate going through arbitration, especially for players who they know will want more money than they want to pay them. They always prefer to settle beforehand, but I don't see how that would happen right now.
I also think that once the idea of trading Robertson and getting a lot of assets in return (including perhaps other deals for Werenski/Larkin) became a possibility, Dallas began to seriously contemplate moving on. Especially if Robertson isn't willing to negotiate down from $14 million at all. They might just not want to go that high, even next year.
Thanks for assessing Harley so clearly. It bums me out how often I see fans talking about Harley like he’s poison, when he literally had one down year. He’s 25!!
Or he WILL be 25 in August, one day after my 50th apparently 😬
Stars fans are shi***** all over Robo right now, calling him average. And Robo at least has put up quality work in the past 5 seasons…
Some have a gripe because Harley was made one of the highest paid D-Man in the league after just a single season with the team…Only to immediately regress the following year. His extension has also created a more complex negotiating situation with Robo, who has proven himself to be one of the best scorers in the league.
Maybe Harley gets there one day…but there is no guarantee and paying $10M ((right now) seems like an overpay based on his most recent production. Great that he performs well on international stages but that doesn’t concern me as a Stars fan.
*some Stars fans… Not all fans are discounting Robertson and his talent. I think the negative comments are from the loyal listeners of a certain local radio station.
A lot of Stars fans lol. Just look at Reddit. Positive remarks defending Robo get downvoted and the general consensus is that he’s entitled and doesn’t deserve more than $12M. That he isn’t a top player in the league, not better than so and so, he screwed them by not going to a bottom feeder team, etc.
Did you read my last comment? I think several fan are influenced by a local radio guy that hates on Robo. Don’t care about a bunch of keyboard warriors as I know there are lots of smart fans that don’t spend all their time on Reddit, IG, X, etc. picking fights and talking smack.
Did you read mine lol? Not every fan listens to radio or cares about Bobby dude. Some fans genuinely believe Robo is selfish and entitled and “how dare he ask for more than $12M” because they are believing reports painting him as unreasonable…
My point original point is it’s not all fans plus it doesn’t matter. We aren’t the ones negotiating and executing the contract.
My original comment literally said “some”…so your distinction was unnecessary
Thanks, Andy Scott. He did the same thing with Rantanen in Colorado and look how that situation turned out for 96
Ok… Robo’s camp is playing hardball, trade him and Harley to Columbus… w/o extension… without linemates Robo risks having down year, and I bet the S CA boy hates the Midwest… (I love Robo btw!)… get Werenski and Marchinko back. The Stars are better!
I wish that I could come up with a good solution for this mess. What does Robo want? Does he turn down $15 million if the team is Florida or Tampa Bay rather than Seattle or St. Louis? I doubt it. My belief is that he wants to be paid $15 million by a team that is a serious Stanley Cup contender. Who knows, he might even settle for slightly less. But he won’t take $13 million (free of state income tax and "wealth taxes") to stay in Dallas, either. Does he want to stay here at a higher number, but at the cost of crippling his team’s ability to pay other players that they need to acquire or keep to stay in a Stanley Cup competitive window? I’m not sure that Robo really knows what he wants.
Right now the Stars are still in that window, but it might be starting to close. Their prospect pool is already thin; so is their draft capital for the next few years. If they do trade or qualify Robo, they should be seeking draft picks. But they were already thin at left wing to begin with.
Why would the Stars rush the Robo decision? Seems like they have the upper hand at the moment. Options include:
- continue trying to sign Robo at 8 years x $12M or $12.5M (who knows, Robo might identify that as his best option)
- work with Robo and another team on a sign and trade that includes a nice return
- qualify Robo and see if any team is willing to surrender 4 first rd draft picks
- go to arbitration with Robo and lock him up for a one year deal at around $12M (which I believe is the rate he would get). This is the most undesirable option, but also allows the Stars to offer in January the $14M Robo seeks without killing their cap.
Selling low on him right now seems like an awful idea. Any trade package you would get now for him without an extension in place will probably be equivalent to what you could get at the deadline.
I don’t see how trading Robo benefits the Stars either in the more immediate or long term. That forward lines actually look painful to me, if that’s what you’re going into the season with.
The FO mangling this has me looking at them differently.
I don't think it was absurd a year ago to think that $12 million would have been enough to get Robertson done. Everyone else has been willing to come down a bit to stay here. I wonder if they always figured this was a possibility, if he truly didn't want to budge.
A year ago $12M probably gets it done because that’s where the market was at. Mikko had just signed at $12M. Others in a similar ball park. But they chose to extend Harley and wait on Robo…and between then and now, the market shifted - as demanded by the cap. Eichel signed a new extension. Market dynamics are so fluid year to year. Seen players net millions more in other sports simply by waiting a season to begin contract talks.
1. If they go the QO route do you think the STL and SEA $15mil “offers” would be enough for an arbiter to push Robertson above $12 in an arbitration case?
2. IF they go the trade (without extension route) and for example’s sake he ends up in Columbus. With no extension in place is he STILL able to be offer-sheeted as a new Columbus RFA with no contract in place?
I don't think arb would push him horribly high, but certainly into double digits. And again, the unknown factor involved there has to be unappealing if you're Dallas. I suspect they want to get this all done, and in a way they can control.
The availability of ZW changes everything. Rather than trading Robertson for less than full value (if it’s not a sign and trade) you need to pivot and see if Columbus will accept Harley and Steel (or whatever package you can put with Harley) for ZW. That saves you 1M that you can use to bridge the gap and sign Robertson for 13.5M or 14M.
You were already going to have to trade Lyubushkin, Faksa and Steel in order to give Robo 12.5M and sign Bourque. This lets you keep Robo and Bouque and upgrades the defense at the same time. Feel bad for Harley but I’ll take my chances with 2 years of ZW and they should have room then to re-sign him if he’s willing.
If robertsson really wants to stay in dallas but really wants 14 AAV, why dont QO at 9 and bye christmas offer him his 14 but in 7years
He will get more than 9 after arbitration, I am sure. If he doesn't sign an offer sheet, then everything is possible, but usually teams and players that are this far apart in valuation tend to go their separate ways eventually. We will see what happens.
Yes i know but he will get 14 or more ?
Bcoz if u look at this way if they sign him now 14× 8 = 112 m
If he get quality at 13,25 for 1 year
Next he can just sign a 7 years deal
So if they just can solve there pride,it could be cheaper for Dallas
The biggest problem is that Robertson would prefer to sign long-term right now, so he is pushing for the big deal, and a one-year deal carries risk for him. Though I do think the risk of an offer sheet is slightly less now than it was a week ago, since Robertson has made it clear he isn't just looking for the maximum $$$.
Teams also hate going through arbitration, especially for players who they know will want more money than they want to pay them. They always prefer to settle beforehand, but I don't see how that would happen right now.
I also think that once the idea of trading Robertson and getting a lot of assets in return (including perhaps other deals for Werenski/Larkin) became a possibility, Dallas began to seriously contemplate moving on. Especially if Robertson isn't willing to negotiate down from $14 million at all. They might just not want to go that high, even next year.