Seguin playing like true No. 1 center for Stars

BOSTON -- It seemed to take forever, long enough for two Boston Bruins to make sliding save attempts, long enough for goaltender Anton Khudobin to stack two pads, long enough for an entire city to curse under its breath yet again. But Tyler Seguin was content to bide his time, to go around David Pastrnak, around Ryan Spooner, and past Khudobin, ending the need for the delayed penalty, and ending the game, giving the Dallas Stars the 3-2 win at 2:59 of overtime on Monday at TD Garden.

It was offensive brilliance from a brilliant offensive player, one who has been especially hot of late. But perhaps what he did in the game before the overtime goal demonstrates more about what Seguin has become this season for the Stars, under coach Ken Hitchcock, and where his game has gone than the final eight seconds of action.
"I've been thinking a lot more of defense, a lot more of face-offs, a lot more of little things and judging my performances based on those things more than goals and assists," Seguin said after the game. "So that's been the biggest change for me, trying to put the work in before the skill, and tonight it worked out for me."
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It was something that Hitchcock charged him with this season, the coach's first in his return to Dallas. He wanted Seguin to remake his game, become more responsible, become the No. 1 center that he thought Seguin could be.

It has paid off, with Seguin still able to have an offensive impact -- 22 goals and 19 assists -- along with a defensive one, resulting in a spot on the Central Division team for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game.
On Monday, for instance, he was tasked with playing against the Bruins' top line, one that Seguin at one point played on during his first three seasons in the NHL in Boston, and held his own against Patrice Bergeron and crew.
That is no easy feat.
"The thought process was: That's the hottest line, I think, in the NHL and probably the best line," Seguin said. "We said we wanted to out-check 'em, we knew we'd be against them all night. Some games you've got to pick your spots for your skill to take over or to get that golden opportunity, and tonight it worked out."
It was a change, a different way of looking at the game. And with Hitchcock in place, it started the first game of the season.
"He's become a way more competitive player," Hitchcock said. "His compete level at the puck, his attention to detail, he's made big strides for me. He's made huge strides as a 200-foot player.
"We always use that term, but when you ask a guy to go from killing no penalties to being a prime-time guy, you ask a guy to block shots, you ask a guy to be out there at the end of games, important minutes, then play against top players, if you haven't done it your whole life it's a big adjustment. And he's made those adjustments all in half a season, which to me is terrific."
Not that it was assured.
"You don't know that going in," Hitchcock said. "It's kind of like I gave him everything, and let's see what he kicks back to me. But I gave him everything and he took it and he's run with it, which is a little bit of a sign of his character, which is a nice thing to see. You can't help but be impressed."
And while those on the other side -- the Bruins -- have seen the kind of goal that Seguin scored before, seen the creativity and patience and skill, these new aspects of his game are less familiar to them.

"I think he's matured, in every way," Bergeron said. "Away from the puck, with the puck, he's a lot stronger. He's gained some strength. So, we all know he was a great player from day one, but he just keeps improving and getting better and smarter with and without the puck."
That has put him in even more elite company, as a player who is capable of the offensive thrills, but also capable of killing penalties and taking important face-offs and quarterbacking the power play and seeing ice time against the likes of Bergeron.
And still scoring the overtime game-winner.
"I think he has made himself to be a very good player," Hitchcock said. "He's accountable in every situation. He's really matured. I think he's a guy that we don't even worry about anymore. Everybody talked about, 'Can you make him a [No.] 1 [center]?' Well, quite frankly, he's a 1. He's playing like a 1. He's played six games in a row like this. This is what you want in a No. 1 center. He's doing the job."