Friedman: Stars have no choice but to sign Jason Robertson

The Dallas Stars have a big summer of decisions ahead of them.

After getting bounced in the first round in six games to the Minnesota Wild, the Stars have some key decisions to make on a number of key players among their forward group.

Chief among these players is pending restricted free agent Jason Robertson, whose 45 goals and 96 points led the Stars this season.

"Jason Robertson took care of business this year," said Elliotte Friedman in the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast on Friday. "The Dallas Stars told him, 'Don't worry about the contract. Let's see how the year goes, and we'll see what happens when it ends.' ... He had a 40-goal year, he scored five in the playoffs, five of the first six games. He took care of business, and they're gonna have no choice but to pay him, and I believe that's gonna be around $12 million a year. I think he's gonna want the same thing (Mikko) Rantanen got, and the way this went, Kyle (Bukauskas), I would be surprised if he doesn't get it."

Robertson is in the final year of a four-year deal that came with a $7.75 million cap hit and will be looking for a sizeable pay raise that, according to Friedman, Dallas really won't have any choice but to pay.

"The only way I can see this going another way is if, for whatever reason, Robertson decides he wants to go elsewhere, but I have no reason to believe that. They're gonna have to do it."

The contract Friedman predicts the Stars will have to hand out to Robertson — the same amount as fellow star winger Rantanen — could complicate things for Dallas' cap situation, the Hockey Night in Canada reporter said, too.

"The thing that's really interesting about that is Mavrik Bourque," said Friedman. "They have to give him a new contract, too, and he had just one goal in the playoffs, was a big goal. I just wonder if they're gonna have room. When they add (Robertson's) 12 here, ish, that Robertson's gonna sign for, it might be a problem for them to fit in other pieces like Bourque."

Bourque is also set to become a restricted free agent in the summer. He got paid $950,000 this season after putting up 20 goals and 41 points, playing all 82 regular-season and six post-season games this season.

Lastly, Friedman also made mention of the decision Dallas will need to make on franchise icon Jamie Benn. The 36-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent and could contemplate retirement.

"There's a big decision here on Benn. A big decision," said Friedman. "The biggest challenge for this is that he's a franchise legend, he's gonna get his number retired, but you almost wonder who's gonna make the choice here? Is it gonna be Benn making the choice? Or is it gonna be the Stars making the choice about where this goes? So, that's a big one."