Tyler Seguin was signed to a massive NHL contract in the summer of 2018, an eight-year $78.8 million dollar contract, to be exact.
Since then, Seguin has lived under a cloud of scrutiny from fans and most notably CEO Jim Lites.
Even with all the choice words and subtle rumblings of disappointment, Seguin continued to wear the A on his jersey proudly.
Leading into the 2019-20 NHL campaign, the Stars had one goal in mind. The Stanley Cup and Seguin came to play.
"I should've been a D-man. My feet on the blue, they're just quick." ?
Never a dull moment when @tseguinofficial's on the ice pic.twitter.com/T8wWYnfQ5C
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 27, 2020
Seguin would accumulate 63 points in the shortened season, 13 of which were through the playoff run. He led the team in the regular season with 17 goals and a stellar 33 assists. Again, to put it bluntly, Seguin came to play.
His off-ice attitude was another shining light on an extremely unique season. During the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, Seguin made it a point to walk alongside his fellow Dallasites in solidarity.
He would make multiple public statements and even go as far as to take a knee during the anthems in the Round Robin portion of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
— Tyler Seguin (@tseguinofficial) June 2, 2020
This is not a matter of opinion, this is speaking in factually. Seguin took a stance in a league where many, almost all, wouldn’t. Showing true leadership off the ice and growth as a person.
At the end of the day, the men that take the ice are as much the name on their back as they are the Star on their chest.
Throughout the playoff run, it was visible that Seguin wasn’t himself. Missing one-timers. Lacking the quickness of foot and silky smooth skating fans were accustomed to, something was off. Even through the slower play, Seguin was still able to tally 2 goals and 11 assists. Once the playoffs concluded, the news broke that Seguin played through a torn labrum, to no one’s surprise.
At 28 years of age, Seguin has been through more in his professional career than some entire rosters. A Stanley Cup victory with the Boston Bruins, six all-star appearances, becoming one of the faces of the Dallas Stars franchise, and most recently another Stanley Cup appearance.
Due to the current pandemic, Seguin’s surgery has been delayed but in my eyes, it only fuels the desire for his recovery. A rubber band pulls and snaps. Rarely breaking. Returning true to form. Integrity is intact.
Seguin is primed to be the rubberband man for the Stars when he makes his return, whenever that may be. I predict a resurgence like that of a shooting star. (It’s cheeky, but it works.)
Author’s Note – 11/11/20: As of writing this, the announcement had not been made that recovery time for Seguin and goalie Ben Bishop would both take longer than initially predicted. Both will be sidelined for five months. If the season were to start on time in January as Bettman would like, we would see Seguin make his return sometime between March and April.
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