Stars' contract talks with Tyler Seguin 'moving in right direction'

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill said Friday that the team is making progress in talks with center Tyler Seguin on a contract extension.
"We are deep in discussions. It's moving in the right direction," Nill said. "We'll go from there."

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Seguin also talked about progress in the talks Thursday during the annual NHL Media Tour in Chicago, telling reporters he hoped the two sides could reach a deal in the next few weeks.
"That's been the goal all along," Seguin told Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com. "I envision hopefully having something done. They've been talking now. My agent has been talking to the team. Hopefully, something will get done before camp."
That's a step forward from late August when Seguin talked to reporters at the BioSteel Camp in Toronto and expressed disappointment that talks between the two sides had gone cold. But Seguin returned to Dallas this past week, and the negotiations began to pick up again.
"I think once he got down around the team and stuff, that was important for him," Nill said. "Like I said, things are moving in the right direction."

Seguin, who scored a career-high 40 goals last season, is in the final year of a six-year, $34.5 million contract ($5.75 million AAV) that he signed with Boston in 2012 and took effect beginning in the 2013-14 season. Seguin, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019, became eligible to sign an extension this past July 1.
The two sides made their initial positions known early in the negotiating process
, and while Nill wouldn't get into specifics, he indicated the recent talks have involved some give and take.
"There's good dialogue," Nill said. "I get back to that I am not going to negotiate in the media, so I am not going to say what's going on. But there's good movement on both sides."
As to when something gets done, Nill said the hope remains to get Seguin's signature on an extension before the puck drops on the 2018-19 season.
"I'd like to get it done before the season starts, but with negotiations, you never know," Nill said. "But I think both parties would like to get it done before.
"I think it's always been the plan to get it done before the season starts."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mark Stepneski has covered the Stars for DallasStars.com since 2012. Follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.
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