Seguin embracing expanded role for Stars under Hitchcock

Back in April, when just-hired Dallas Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said he wanted to turn Tyler Seguin into a true No. 1 center, the Stars forward was relishing the opportunity.
"It gets me giddy," Seguin said back in April. "Since I've come to Dallas, I've wanted to be a No. 1 centerman and a two-way guy."

That role as a No. 1 center meant Seguin would be counted on for more than just goals and points. He'd be a two-way guy. There'd be more responsibility, including the penalty kill, playing against the opposition's top players, taking critical faceoffs, and playing at key times in the game at both ends of the ice.
"That's what a [No. 1 center] does," Hitchcock said.
Now, nine-and-a-half months later and more than halfway through the 2017-18 season, Seguin has become what Hitchcock envisioned. And for Seguin, the enthusiasm is still there.
"I've found a way for it to be fun," Seguin said. "In the past, it's been about goals or points, and this is the first year where I've shown my game has changed a bit, evolved. Sometimes it hurts the point production in a way, but it's been putting my energy in other places."
The offensive numbers are still there for Seguin, who has 43 points (23 goals, 20 assists) in 50 games and is tied for ninth in the NHL in goal scoring. And other numbers tell how his game has evolved. His ice time is up about two minutes per game this season over last, much of that coming from the added responsibility of penalty killing, a new role for him. He's averaging 1:28 of penalty kill time per game and scored the first shorthanded goal of his hockey career.
"The penalty kill has been a huge difference in how I am playing in a game," Seguin said. "Obviously, the minutes have been higher, and I've enjoyed the opportunity."

Seguin ranks 16th in the league in faceoffs taken and 14th in faceoff winning percentage. He's already set a career-high in blocked shots with 27.
"I am thinking a lot more about defense, a lot more faceoffs, a lot more little things," Seguin said. "I am judging my performance on those things rather than goals and assists. That's been the biggest change for me, trying to put the work in before the skill."
And the work has earned high praise from Hitchcock.
"He's become a way more competitive player," Hitchcock said. "His compete level at the puck, his attention to detail; he's made huge strides as a 200-foot player. I 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 and then you ask him to play against top players; if you haven't done it your whole life, it's a big adjustment.
"He's made those adjustments in half a season, which, to me, is terrific."
One of the high points for Seguin this season was his performance at Boston on Jan. 12. His highlight reel goal to win the game in overtime, where he weaved his way through three Boston defenders and outwaited Boston goaltender Anton Khudobin before putting the puck into the net, drew a lot of the attention. But his overall game was outstanding.
Going head-to-head with Boston's Patrice Bergeron, one of the game's premier two-way centers, Seguin played 23:13, won 12 of 21 faceoffs and his line with Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov outscored the line of Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak 1-0 at five-on-five during the game. That's pretty good when you consider the Bergeron line has dominated at five-on-five this season, outscoring opponents 22-4 during five-on-five play this season.
Again, more praise for Seguin from Hitchcock.

"He's accountable in every situation. He's matured. He's a guy we don't worry about anymore. Everybody talked about can you make him a No. 1 center.**