If the Stars move Robertson it’s because they don’t like the player, no other reason. Not the cap, not draft capital, nothing. It’s that they (wrongly) think he’s not a winner.

Need to be heavier/ better on the forecheck? He’s one of the bigger forward you have and is probably the most effective puck retrieval forward in the top six. Go back and watch his forechecks – he’s not barreling in like a bullet and hitting a guy, but unlike most of the Stars’ forwards who do that, he actually turns up with the puck more often than not when he’s in on the forecheck. Getting rid f him makes you worse at heavy forechecking, not better.

Need to get better playoff producers? You’re not getting that from trading him. He’s something like 7th in scoring among wingers in the playoffs the last 5 years, and has only played in 4 playoffs in that time. He’s top 15 in overall forward scoring in that timeframe as well and has played less games than everyone else on the list (iirc except MacKinnon who has one less game). Also just logically speaking look at how the Stars have made move recently, there’s no reason to get rid of your second best forward as you’ve opened a new cup window with signing Rantanen for 8 years. The Stars don’t need draft capital or prospects, they need to win in the next 2-3 years. Signing Mikko and then getting rid of his best run support just makes no sense.

Need to free up cap? Again not really necessary with Robo. Robertson and Harley are going to need new deals next off-season, not this offseason, and there are plenty of other areas the roster can be trimmed. Marchment’s 4.5m can be moved pretty easily for draft capital or a cheaper middle six forward. Lyubushkin and Dumba make 7m combined for two years and you can move those contracts with a buyout/ cap dump type move. Granlund and Duchene are probably off the books, and if Duchene comes back it’ll have to be on a longterm low-money deal so shouldn’t be a huge problem – and you also don’t prioritize either of those guys (certainly not Duchene who can’t produce in the playoffs) over Robertson. And when Harley and Robo actually need new deals, we’ll be a year out from Seguin’s 9.5m coming off the books. The cap stuff is cope.

The only way it makes sense to move Robertson is if you’re bringing back a top pair (or at worst 2nd pair) RHD. The only guys I’m trading Robertson 1-for-1 for are Adam Fox or Evan Bouchard, and I’m only listening to offers that include multiple players and picks coming back to Dallas if they’re centered around Noah Dobson, Brandon Montour, Mackenzie Weegar, Moritz Seider, or Brandt Clarke. Many/most of these guys are just not available and they shouldn’t be – Robertson shouldn’t be either.