Elliotte Friedman opines Stars will prioritise landing Mitch Marner in free agency over Jason Robertson extension

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is one of the top free agents and has been linked to the Dallas Stars as he approaches free agency on July 1.

The Stars, aiming to bolster their roster, are reportedly among the teams interested in Marner, though their tight salary cap situation poses a significant challenge.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Stars could consider pursuing Marner, potentially at the cost of trading Jason Robertson, who is entering the final year of his contract with a $7.75 million cap hit and will be a restricted free agent in 2026.

Friedman believes that it is highly likely that the Stars are on Marner's list. On Sportsnet 590, he noted that the club is not in a rush and can afford to wait a few days to see how the situation unfolds.

"I think what's happening here is that Dallas is going to talk to Robertson about an extension. They're going to see if both sides—well, the one thing that happens here is that Robertson's agent is a pretty busy guy right now. He's under contract for next year. So if you're Dallas, you can wait." Friedman said.

Freidman suggested that if Marner expresses interest in joining Dallas and a deal can be worked out, the Stars might face a tough decision regarding Robertson.

"Is there any chance Marner says, yeah, I'm willing to go there, can you guys work out a deal? Then you're forced into another decision. I think the Robertson situation will probably come down to two things. Number one, what does he want, and what does the team want? Can they find common ground? And number two, is there anything else that forces Dallas to make decisions? I think we'll get an idea about Robertson after July 1," he added.

Canadiens inquired about Jason Robertson

The Montreal Canadiens are actively looking for centers to strengthen their forward group.

According to NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Canadiens inquired about Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson earlier this month.

"I know they had some discussions with Dallas earlier this month. There's all this Jason Robertson talk. I don't think it got anywhere, but that's kind of in the ballpark of what they're looking at right now," he said.

Pagnotta noted that Montreal is considering trading its 16th and 17th overall picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, either individually or together, to acquire assets that can enhance their roster.