After rejecting Seattle, three new frontrunners emerge for Jason Robertson

That is the only number worth starting with.

Elliotte Friedman reported Thursday that Dallas gave the Kraken permission to negotiate directly with the restricted free agent.

Seattle offered approximately $15 million per year - a figure that would have made Robertson the second-highest-paid player in the entire league.

He said no anyway.

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period then reported the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Utah Mammoth are now among the teams lining up.

Pierre LeBrun confirmed Dallas is circling back to interested clubs while still leaving the door open on a Robertson extension.

Three suitors sounds like leverage for Stars GM Jim Nill. It is not - not yet.

Dallas is reportedly asking for a Rantanen-level return in any trade scenario. That is a package involving multiple first-round picks - the going rate for stars of this caliber.

Robertson just proved he will walk away from the largest contract offer in Kraken history because he did not want to play in Seattle.

That is not a negotiating tactic - that is destination control.

Dallas pre-arranged the trade, Seattle went above market with $15 million per year, and Robertson still said no.

So the Penguins, Blackhawks, and Utah Mammoth interest only matters if Robertson actually wants to play there.

Dallas cannot force a sign-and-trade. They can hold his RFA rights and wait, but July 1 opens offer-sheet territory and that is a completely different kind of pressure for Nill to manage.

Robertson posted 45 goals and 96 points across 82 games this past season. He is 26 and in the prime window of his career.

The Stars are at least $2 million per season short of his asking price, and the Seattle no makes clear his floor sits somewhere above $15 million.

The market just got bigger, and Robertson is the one holding all the cards.