He’s back: Seguin’s first goal a good reminder of what could lie ahead

If Tyler Seguin is back, maybe the trip to Pittsburgh was well worth it.

Yes, Dallas missed a golden opportunity presented by the schedule that offered up a tired Penguins team that had played the night before in Columbus. Yes, the Lads in Victory Green sort of wasted another sterling silver performance from goalie Jake Oettinger. Yes, there is plenty to talk about this week after a 2-2-1 start that has created more than a few questions.

But the fact the Stars were in a 1-0 game in the final minute helped set the table for some real heroics from Seguin. The veteran forward was able to tip in the tying goal with 30 seconds left and then buried a shootout attempt with the game on the line.

Not only did that help salvage a point in the standings, it shone a special light on Seguin’s comeback.

While the second overall pick in the 2010 draft has battled all manner of injury comebacks in his long career, the ACL surgery might be the toughest. He pushed hard for months, he had a setback, he hadn’t played since January. Just getting up and running has been a challenge. Getting to be “Tyler Seguin” again, well that is no small task.

So to see the light in his eyes after the goal, it was nice. To see him confidently pot that shootout goal, it planted the seed of what could – and can – be.

Seguin’s last goal was Nov. 15, 2025 – almost a year ago. Now, that included a span of just 12 actual games that he had played in, but it seemed like forever. The fact that he had some great scoring chances early this season was encouraging. The fact he hadn’t notched a marker was frustrating. But Seguin has been through this before, and that can make this process both easier and harder.

So to break through…that’s important.

While we love to tie the fortunes of Seguin and Jamie Benn together because they have both been here so long, Seguin is three years younger than Benn. While it’s tempting to talk about the end of the road on veteran players, Seguin doesn’t seem anywhere close.

So as the coaching staff shuffles him in with Roope Hintz or Jason Robertson, you get the feeling that he really could be an effective scorer again. In a stretch of 11 November games last season, Seguin had 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists). In 20 games before injury in 2024-25, he had 21 points (8 goals, 12 assists).

He can still be “that guy.” And, to be certain, with this cap-squeezed roster, the Stars could use “that guy.”

Matt Duchene recently had core muscle surgery and will be out for the next three months. Nicks and bruises keep adding up every game for the forward group. So getting production from Seguin is a really good – and really real – option. He still is skilled, he is smarter than he has ever been, he is a mature leader and a strong voice in the room.

He’s probably not “the” straw that stirs the drink anymore, but he can be “a” straw.

And Saturday was a glimpse of that.

One of my favorite Daryl Reaugh calls was when Mike Modano was returning from an injury back in the day and didn’t have his confidence yet. Referencing a hot movie, Razor called out “Engage, Maverick, engage.”  That was, of course, the challenge for Tom Cruise in the original Top Gun, because Pete Mitchell had lost his swagger.

Seguin would do well to watch the movie and remember that he is not going to be happy unless he’s “going Mach 2 with his hair on fire.” That’s the Seguin we all love. That’s the Seguin that can really change a game. That’s the Seguin that could make a huge difference in a roster that is not as deep as it once was.

Look, it’s not easy. He is in his 17th season, he has played more than 1,000 games and he has rehabbed more than any of his peers. So, he has to do this in his way, at his pace.

But if what we saw Saturday is a step in the right direction, then we might look back at the trip to Pittsburgh – and the need for a pressure goal – as a good thing in the long run of this season.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.