Seguin says ACL injury has been 'most challenging' of NHL career

CARROLLTON, Texas -- Tyler Seguin didn't mince words on Tuesday when describing what it has been like in his rehabilitation from ACL surgery.

“I never thought I’d get slapped in the face with something this different than the rest,” the 34-year-old forward said at the Dallas Stars Foundation’s annual Drive Fore the Kids golf tournament. “I thought a lot of things were hard, and then this one’s been probably the most challenging.”

Seguin sustained the injury to his right knee on Dec. 2, 2025, when he got tangled up with defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov during a 3-2 overtime loss at the New York Rangers. Seguin had surgery two weeks later.

The typical timeline for recovery from ACL surgery averages around nine months, but Seguin opted to defer when asked if he would be ready for the Stars' season opener against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 2.

“I expect to keep getting better every day,” he said. “Continuing to work and seeing where I’m at. One day at a time.”

For now, Seguin is keeping his focus on what he needs to do next.

Last week it was reported that he had been back on the ice as part of the captain's skate, and Seguin confirmed that he has been skating with his teammates at the Stars' practice facility in Frisco, Texas, in recent weeks. However, he and the team are being cautious about looking too far ahead.

One reason for that is because of what happened over the summer.

“I had a setback in the middle of June and had to kind of stop skating,” Seguin said. “Now I’ve been trending in the right direction.”

Seguin has unfortunately become more than familiar in recent years with the grueling processes involved with long-term injuries.

He tore his labrum completely during the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, an injury that required a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair on Nov. 2, 2020. As a result, he missed all but three games during the 2020-21 season.

In December 2024, Seguin required surgery on his other hip, undergoing a procedure to repair a left side femoralacetabular impingement and hip labrum. He returned for the final game of that regular season and played in all 18 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Then last season, Seguin's campaign was again cut short after just 27 games because of the ACL injury.

“He was a big loss for us,” Dallas general manager Jim Nill told NHL Network last week. “When we lost him on the (second) of December, he was like our third leading scorer (17 points in 27 games). ... His game had really matured. He’s good on draws, he can score. He was killing penalties for us.”

As for this season, Nill believes Seguin is at a good place in his recovery, all things considered.

“He’s back on the ice. He’s feeling good,” Nill said. “He’s at the nine-month mark, which for ACL injuries, that’s a pretty good window. So, he feels good. He’s excited. He wants to get back at it. It’s a big year for him.”

Seguin said he has spoken to a few other NHL players who have sustained ACL injuries, but the nature of such injuries means that everyone’s story is a little bit different. Some players may also have associated LCL, PCL or MCL injuries, while others might have had different sorts of procedures done than Seguin.

What all those players do have in common, though, is a long road to recovery.

“It’s special where I feel like if I hear someone has had an ACL they’re going through, I can sit down with them and talk for half an hour, just because I think it’s more selective, especially in our sport," Seguin said. "I don’t think you’re going to know until you have to go through it. I don’t think you can explain it to anybody, what the process is of everything involved. Happy to know that I’m doing better.”

Both physically and mentally.

“You know, just the length of it and the different ups and downs, it’s been challenging for sure, but there’s been a good support system," Seguin said. "Really, whatever happens, I know how hard I’ve worked and what I’ve put into it, and I’m proud of that part.”

As Seguin alluded to, precisely what role he will be able to play for Stars coach Glen Gulutzan this year remains to be seen.

Seguin spent some time early last season at right wing alongside Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson, but he also played center for a couple of games on other forward lines. It’s the exact sort of versatility that has become a hallmark of Seguin’s game in the more recent stage of his NHL career.

“It’s kind of exciting to watch a young man’s game and how it’s evolved over the years,” Nill said of Seguin. “He was thought as the run-and-gun offensive guy, and now to see his game coming around to where he is one of the leaders of the team, that's kind of rewarding, and I'm happy for him where his game has come."