A blockbuster NHL trade for a 26-year-old star could be taking shape : Jason Robertson about to be dealt

Jason Robertson has Dan Muse tied to Pittsburgh's boldest summer swing.

The reason this rumor has teeth is simple. Robertson filed for salary arbitration, and that puts Dallas back on a contract clock it would rather avoid.

That does not mean the Stars want him gone. It means Kyle Dubas has a real reason to watch this file harder than most general managers around the league. That is an inference from Robertson's arbitration status and Pittsburgh's aggressive posture under Dubas.

Robertson is not some rebound target, either. The 26-year-old put up 39 goals and 96 points in 82 games last season, which is exactly why the price would be nasty.

Pittsburgh's angle makes hockey sense. Dubas has already said the Penguins are moving from asset collection toward execution, and a player like Robertson fits that shift better than almost anyone on the market.

The Nick Robertson trade only adds fuel. Pittsburgh acquired Jason Robertson's brother from Toronto last week, and while that does not create a deal by itself, it does not hurt the sales pitch if this ever gets serious.

That is why this one keeps hanging around. Dubas is looking for a building block, not just another veteran patch around Sidney Crosby. That is an inference from the Penguins' public direction and Robertson's age.

" Yohe cited sources saying Robertson still hopes to sign a long-term contract with the Stars. He claimed the Penguins wanted to discuss a trade with Stars GM Jim Nill, but those talks never got serious.

However, that could change if Robertson winds up with a one-year contract through arbitration, taking him to UFA eligibility next summer.

If a long-term deal with the Stars isn't possible, Yohe thinks Robertson could be open to joining the Penguins. It doesn't hurt their chances when they recently acquired his brother, Nick, from the Toronto Maple Leafs. "

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Dallas still controls the whole thing

That part matters most. Jim Nill and the Stars have not shown any sign they want to move Robertson now, and the team is still trying to navigate a cap squeeze without tearing apart the core.

If arbitration leads to a 1-year award, the conversation changes fast. Robertson would then be marching toward unrestricted free agency next summer, and that is where outside pressure on Dallas would rise. That is an inference based on how arbitration timing works and the contract path outlined by NHL.com.

Pittsburgh still has a problem, though. The Penguins can want Robertson all they like, but wanting him and building the best package are not the same thing. That is an inference from Robertson's value and Pittsburgh's current stage.

Muse would love the player. Robertson gives any coach a top-line left wing who can finish, slow the game down, and make a power play feel heavier right away. That is an inference from his 96-point season.

But Dallas is under no pressure to hand him away cheap. A 39-goal scorer in his prime only moves if the return hurts. That is the reality Dubas has to solve if he wants this rumor to become more than background noise.

So this is the clean read. Pittsburgh has a reason to dream, Robertson's contract file gives that dream a little oxygen, and Dallas still holds the knife and fork on every part of the meal.