Expect the unexpected: Decisions loom for Stars as action-packed part of NHL offseason begins

The layout of the NHL offseason always fascinates me.

While the offseason itself lasts three to five months (depending on the team), the majority of its major events are condensed into a small handful of weeks. Everything from the draft, development camps, the start of free agency and blockbuster trades all typically occur within a three-week span shortly after the Stanley Cup is awarded.

As a result, the final 15 days of June through the first 10 days of July never fails to provide some serious entertainment value. We’ve already seen some serious fireworks in the past few days with Brady Tkachuk being dealt to Florida for a haul of draft picks, Darren Raddysh being traded to Toronto and signing an eight-year deal and Bowen Byram heading to Chicago in a five-piece deal. And with the rumor mill still swirling, there’s reason to believe the craziness has only just begun.

And then, by mid-July, everything hits a wall. The dog days of summer settle in as teams tidy up some final bits of business and watch their rosters take shape for training camp in September.

It’s part of the reason why this current period of the offseason is so enthralling. Breaking news is aplenty as top players either re-up with their team or move on to new clubs. And as soon as it seems to rev up, it slows right back down. That’s why it’s so important to enjoy the frenzy while it lasts. There’s no telling where the next 2-3 weeks could take your favorite team.

That includes the Dallas Stars, who are digging into their most intriguing offseason in quite some time. While the past few summers have involved minor tinkering in an attempt to get over the Western Conference Final hump, the 2026 offseason is taking an entirely new route. It’s one that could have a sizable impact on the team’s chase for the Cup in the years ahead.

It all begins with the 2026 NHL Draft this weekend. And for the third time in the last four years, the Stars won’t make a selection in the first round (unless they trade up). Dallas has spent a large chunk of its draft capital on impact NHL players at the trade deadline over the past few seasons, which has in turn left their picks cupboard a little bare. After making just three selections in 2024 and six (all of which were in the third round or later) in 2025, Dallas owns five picks in this year’s draft. That includes a selection in the second, fifth and sixth rounds and two in the seventh.

Now, a chance at unearthing a hidden gem is still very much on the table. The Stars’ front office and scouting staff have done an impressive job of drafting high-value players outside the top 20 over the past decade, with Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque, Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson headlining the group. There’s no telling who they might find on day two of this year’s draft.

But the draft might end up being the least entertaining part of the next week for the lads in Victory Green. That’s because there are a number of franchise-altering decisions waiting to be made on the other side of the weekend.

Which brings us to a unique group of pending free agents in Dallas, starting with Robertson.

The 26-year-old winger is coming off the best goal-scoring season of his NHL career with 45 tallies, tying him for fourth in the NHL and first on the team. His 51 assists, 96 points and 9 game-winning goals were all the second-most in a campaign in his career, while his 15 power play goals marked a new career-high.

Robertson once again proved himself to be one of the league’s best scorers and one of the primary straws that stirs the Stars’ offensive attack.

But as his four-year, $31 million extension signed back in September 2022 expires, he and the Stars seem stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of negotiating a new deal. Reports of price points on both sides continue to surface almost daily and it’s hard to tell just how close or far apart the two sides are. One thing that is for sure is that after seven weeks of trying to find a middle ground, they’re still searching.

That’s what makes the next week ahead so fascinating. The key cog in this saga is that Robertson is still a restricted free agent, which means things could unfold in a number of ways. The two sides could agree to a long-term extension over the next week and put the anticipation to rest. On the flip side, if general manager Jim Nill doesn’t feel as though common ground will ever be found, he could trade Robertson away in a blockbuster deal. And if neither of those ideas pan out, the team could extend a qualifying offer to retain his negotiating rights and open the door for a few more months of talks. However, that would invite the possibility of another team swooping in with an offer sheet, which includes a whole new set of twists and turns. And with the salary cap up to $104 million and young teams looking to spend in order to help accelerate a rebuild, it’s certainly not out of the question.

There’s really no telling which way this saga will turn next as the June 29 RFA qualifying deadline approaches.

And speaking of offer sheets, another prime target around the NHL may be Bourque. The 24-year-old just wrapped up a career-best season with 20 goals and 41 points, blowing by his rookie season totals of 11 goals and 25 points. His 19 even strength tallies trailed only Robertson on the team and his knack for scoring mixed with pure hustle and bite helped him find a sturdy spot on the second line down the stretch. He glowed with the first-round potential that the Stars saw when they selected him 30^th overall back in the 2020 draft.

Bourque’s most recent extension was signed last summer with an AAV of $950,000. The tea leaves would say he’s due for a somewhat sizable increase in both term and salary, but we’ll see where it goes. As another RFA, the Stars still have the ability to extend a qualifying offer before Monday should an extension not get done. But again, the possibility of an offer sheet from another team lingers.

To top it all off, we’re still waiting on a decision from longtime Stars captain Jamie Benn. After wrapping up an eight-year deal in 2025, Benn played out last season on a bonus-laden one-year contract with a cap hit of $1 million. After the 2025-26 season came to an end, the 36-year-old said he was going to take some time to mull over the next step. After 1,252 games, 414 goals and 992 points all in a Stars sweater across 17 seasons, all that seems to be missing from Benn’s legacy now is a Stanley Cup. Nill and head coach Glen Gulutzan both expressed the desire to have Benn back for another season and opened the door for his return. Will the longtime captain ante up for another year? Or will he decide to retire?

Again, time will tell. But as we continue to dive headfirst into the high-octane part of the offseason, it’s a good time to remember that expecting the unexpected might just be the most astute thing you can do.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Josh Clark is a writer for DallasStars.com. Follow him on X @Josh_Clark02.