sportingnews
If Jason Robertson and the Dallas Stars make it to their salary arbitration hearing without any other developments first, it actually could help the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Robertson could be given a salary number bigger than the Stars have the cap space for.
In that scenario, the persistent Penguins could get their payoff.
Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas has wanted Robertson for a while now, but he's been rebuffed as Dallas tries to keep its star forward.
The arbitration process could actually work in the Penguins' favor.
I know Dubas is determined to get him.
From what Im told, that has not changed, TribLive's Mark Madden said on his podcast on Monday.
If he gets $15 (million) or $16 million in arbitration which he might Dallas has a really hard time dealing with that under the cap.
That could make something move.
It would be a fascinating outcome, because Dallas couldn't get an extension done with Robertson before arbitration, which likely shows they were offering a number lower than what Robertson and his agent think he can get in the arbitration process.
He's coming off a season in which he scored 45 goals and had 51 assists.
By those measures, Robertson is one of the best players in the NHL.
The Stars could argue in the arbitration hearing about Robertson's impact elsewhere on the ice, or that he didn't make the U.S.
Olympic team, but it's hard to think that the Stars, with less than $11 million in cap space available, come out feeling content with the number on Robertson's new deal.
If it's close to their available room, the Stars could wiggle under with a few moves.
But if it's that aforementioned $15 or $16 million, Robertson may prove too pricy.
That may allow the Penguins to swoop in and helpfully take him off the Stars' hands.
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