Trusting the process: Seguin's belief in system sets example for Stars

BOISE, Idaho -- Tyler Seguin had a nice moment Friday.
As new head coach Jim Montgomery was running the Stars through drills on the first day of training camp that emphasize the details of his game plan, Seguin said he started to understand the potential of what Montgomery was preaching.
It was a different way of creating pressure that starts with something as simple as pointing your skates in the right direction and angling through skating lanes with purpose, but also includes a subtle team-wide ability to read plays and know when to hold back and when to attack.

OFF AND ROLLING: [Stars praise Jim Montgomery's 'fun' style to open camp | Mike Heika's observations from Day 1]
"I was kind of sitting back on the bench and saying to a couple of guys, 'I think this could work,'" Seguin said. "It's new, it's fresh. If I saw this happening (as an opponent), I wouldn't really know how to operate around it, so hopefully, we can fool some teams."
Ironically, Seguin's observation can also be taken on a much bigger scale.

The 26-year-old center was signed to an eight-year contract extension Thursday that will average $9.85 million and make him the highest-paid player on the team. That decision also "could work," as the Stars now have their core wrapped up for the foreseeable future and should be able to challenge opponents for years to come.
Since they were united in 2013 after Seguin was acquired from the Boston Bruins, Seguin and Jamie Benn are the leading scoring duo in the NHL. Benn, 29, ranks third in the scoring over the past five seasons with 403 points (172 goals, 231 assists) in 404 games. Seguin ranks sixth with 384 points (173 goals, 211 assists) in 387 games. No team has a more prolific 1-2 punch during that span, and locking up the two long-term allows the Stars to focus on getting the most out of their prime years.
That impact begins immediately, as the Stars won't have a potential contract negotiation distraction hanging over their head as they prepare for the 2018-19 season and will be able to talk more about how Seguin sees Montgomery's system.
"It's a big camp for this organization, and that's why I think getting Tyler signed is a great way to start," said Stars general manager Jim Nill. "It's a good message, we know where we're going."
Seguin said he felt he probably could have handled the distraction had it been there, but he's also glad it's not.

"Having the knowledge that it's all done is great," Seguin said. "Because now you can just play hockey, and that's what I'm looking forward to."
And the way Seguin is playing -- and interacting with his teammates -- makes him a huge part of the process of assimilating Montgomery's strategy. Seguin was given more responsibility by coach Ken Hitchcock last season and that allowed him to expand his game. He led Stars forwards in time on ice at 20:55 per game, tallied a career-best 40 goals and won 54.9 percent of his faceoffs. He also wore an "A" as an alternate captain.
"I think Segs has grown as a two-way player and got put into a bigger leadership role," Benn said. "If he can build off of that, that would be great."
Montgomery said he sees Seguin as a player who can help set a great example.
"What I saw in the battle drills today, he was really determined," Montgomery said. "You can tell that the teachings that Hitch and his staff did, we're benefitting from those right now."

Because Seguin is a big part of everything the team does every day, and he will be for a long time going forward. It was a decision he made over a very introspective summer.
"It's a maturing process. You can talk about it all you want, but you really do have to put it into action and not just words," Seguin said. "I had to think about life decisions, and it forces you to grow up. I want to become the leader I've become, and try to get better."
Friday was just one more moment in that process.
"The style we were practicing today was very new, even for myself," Seguin said.
"It was exciting, because I felt like was really learning."
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 Twitter @MikeHeika.