Plano, Texas — Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill opened free agency with a clear strategy: shed salary now to afford Jason Robertson later. The execution came Tuesday when the team traded Mavrik Bourque and Ilya Lyubushkin to Nashville for a pair of draft picks.
The return — a second-round and third-round selection — reflected the market for players the Stars could no longer afford under their cap structure. Dallas also retained Joel Kiviranta on a one-year, $1 million contract, adding a familiar depth piece at minimal cost.
Robertson, the prize that prompted the payroll pruning, is an RFA seeking roughly $12 to $15 million annually on a long-term agreement. Meanwhile, captain Jamie Benn reached unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career, though a return to Dallas has been the expected outcome throughout.
