Controversial photo of Dylan Larkin might have cut his chances of joining the Stars

The quieter move ended the louder one.

The Dallas Stars signed Robertson to a one-year, $12 million contract, avoiding salary arbitration. General manager Jim Nill confirmed the deal, and Elliotte Friedman first reported the terms.

Dallas celebrated it publicly the same night.

The Larkin footage from the FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium had been circulating for barely a day at that point.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin added Dallas to his approved trade list this summer, alongside the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild.

Ansar Khan of MLive reported Detroit asked for Wyatt Johnston and was turned down. Dallas offered Robertson instead.

That was the entire framework of a Larkin deal.

Larkin is signed through 2030-31 at $8.7 million with a full no-trade clause. Detroit is not surrendering five controlled years of its captain for a winger who reaches unrestricted free agency next July.

Robertson cannot negotiate an extension until January 1, 2027.

He also reportedly rejected an eight-year Seattle Kraken offer to stay in Texas.

That tells any acquiring team exactly what it would be buying.

Detroit wants players who stay, not expiring contracts.

Steve Yzerman moved into a senior advisory role on July 15, and the Red Wings still have no permanent head of hockey operations.

Dallas now carries Robertson at $12 million next to Mikko Rantanen and Johnston. The room for another $8.7 million center does not exist.

Larkin's market effectively shrank from four teams to three overnight.

Florida, Vegas and Minnesota gain leverage every week Detroit stays leaderless. The viral photo was never the real story.

The contract signed the next morning was.

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