Who is Jason Robertson?
A Hockey Article
There are a lot of names in the National Hockey League, and the biggest ones seem to come and go---either fulfilling the prophecy of greatness or fading into the pack. Jason Robertson is somewhere in between.
Jason's high-level hockey IQ and stellar playmaking paired with a killer shootout strategy make him an incredible hockey player. This is an undisputed idea---even in Robertson's lackluster moments or streaks of snakebitten-ness, he is still revered as a household name. So, how is Robertson continually underestimated and underappreciated?
Jason Robertson started his career in the National Hockey League with the Dallas Stars after being drafted as a 2nd round pick, and he has stuck around ever since. In his first year, he was runner-up for the Calder Trophy with a near point-per-game season. He has continued to set and break records, including longest goal streak in Stars history this year (2025). Like any player he has his moments---a shanked puck here, a giveaway there. But, overall, Jason Robertson is a highly skilled, persistent, and consistent player. Along with his seven game goal streak, Robertson also (at the time of writing this article) is tied for the most points of US-born players this season, as well as tied for fourth overall in goals and stands alone in fifth overall for power play goals. He has a career +/- of +110, a career shootout percentage of 55.6% (14th most in NHL history), and is boasting all of these accolades at only 26 years old. Why does any of this matter? Clearly he's a great player, so why is there any conversation around his gameplay or relevance or talent? Answer: The Olympic US Men's Hockey Roster.
Announced today, the US roster has a lot of shoe-ins as well as its fair share of questionable choices. How a roster for an event like this (or for Four Nations, for that matter) can differ. A General Manager and surrounding staff may look at a player's abilities as they relate to the players' abilities around him. They may also look at a player's overall career or perhaps only their record from this season. However you spin it, Jason Robertson should still have been at least a candidate for these large-scale hockey competitions. From what sources have reported, Robertson was always sitting just outside the realm of possibilities.
With players that have already been injured this season or are currently injured making the roster, it seems impossible that Robertson would not even be a contender. Even if the sources are incorrect and he in fact was a contender, why wouldn't he make the team?
The attributions to this misfire in the eyes of the GM could have been a few factors. Jason Robertson is not known for his speed, and hokey at an elite level is bound to be a fast game. Robertson, while known as a decent two way player, is not especially known for his defensive game, more suited for the power play than penalty kill.
Despite all of this, though, there is no concrete reason for his absence from the roster, and hockey fans at large agree. It will be interesting to see Jason's play in the remainder of the season and if it is impacted (for better or for worse), as well as the success level of the US Team. I'm still rooting for team USA, regardless.
But to answer the posed question of 'Who is Jason Robertson?'---with the game he is carving out and the standards he continues to set, I don't think this question will be asked for much longer. The people won't have to ask, they will know.
About the Creator
Raine Neal
Just trying to make it through the days - writing is a great way to stay distracted and refreshed.
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