Dallas Stars Daily Links: Is Tyler Seguin Channeling Mike Modano?

All Dallas Stars fans know the legend of Mike Modano. Most of them also know how he fundamentally altered his own playing style during Ken Hitchcock’s first coaching tenure. As the story goes, the high-flying Modano forfeited a chance at any number of scoring records to become a two-way center – and the Stars won a Stanley Cup because of it.

Tyler Seguin, that other franchise center, had a longstanding (if not necessarily accurate) reputation as a goal assassin who cherry-picked his opportunities and left the defensive responsibility to his line-mates. He seemed the natural heir to this particular Modano legacy when Hitch rolled back into town.

If anyone wondered whether Segs could be That Guy, they shouldn’t have, writes Tim Cowlishaw in The Dallas Morning News:

Even in the Hitchcock world of tighter checking and its heavy emphasis on defending, Seguin is tied for sixth in the NHL with 29 goals, although none of the players on the top line rank in the top 20 in overall scoring. Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov are just outside it with 53 points, and Seguin’s right behind them with 51.

”A couple of years ago we’d all have crazy numbers,” Seguin said, briefly reliving the days of [Lindy] Ruff’s go-for-broke style, “But now it’s all about checking the other team’s best players. In Boston, Claude (Julien) really had that defensive element that I recognize in Hitch’s system. There we had a great goalie in Tim Thomas, and here we have two. It’s the right way to play.”

Seguin is relishing the opportunity to play in every situation – but Hitch is withholding his highest grade, for now:

“The next step is beating the other team’s top line. When he can kill penalties, be effective on the power play and battle the other team’s best and win those battles, that’s when he’s a No. 1,” Hitchcock said. [SportsDayDFW]

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More Stars

The Stars take on longtime Pacific Division enemies the San Jose Sharks today at 7 p.m. CST. After you’ve read the DBD preview, check out Mark Stepneski’s official version.

Razor talks face-off percentage, Marc Methot, Tyler Pitlick ’s save of the game, and the Ben Bishop Experience in his latest Emporium.

Could Methot be the perfect partner for Stephen Johns?

Johns and Mattias Janmark, heroes of the Stars’ Friday victory over the St. Louis Blues, offered some insights from Stars practice yesterday.

Speaking of Saturday practice, Mark shared a few player updates from Frisco:

And @NHL shared some John Klingberg love:

Around the League(s)

The Night In #Murder

• Luke Witkowski scored his first NHL goal as the Nashville Predators lost to the Detroit Red Wings 3-1. [Winging It In Motown]
• The Chicago Blackhawks halted an eight-game losing skid with a 7-1 thrashing of the Washington Capitals. [Second City Hockey]
• And the Minnesota Wild lost 3-2 in an 11-round shootout with the Anaheim Ducks. [Hockey Wilderness]

Four Blackhawks fans were ejected after aiming racist taunts at Caps forward Devante Smith-Pelly. The incident occurred during Hockey Is For Everyone Night in United Center.

Meanwhile, Evgeni Malkin hit the 900-point milestone during the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Roberto Luongo notched a win in his first game back from a Dec. 4 groin injury as the Florida Panthers defeated the Calgary Flames, 6-3. [Sportsnet]

Who’s a contender, and who’s a pretender? Sam Blazer takes a look possible buyers and sellers as the NHL trade deadline approaches.

Winter Olympics Action

Olympic hockey is made for shocking upsets, and last night it was Team Japan’s turn. The women’s squad – and overtime hero Ayaka Toko – defeated Team Sweden for the first time in history, 2-1. It’s also the first time a Japanese team has beaten a European squad in an Olympic game.

THN has more, include Canada’s loss to the Czech Republic and Russia’s shutout of Team USA.

The Finland-Sweden game begins at 6:10 a.m. CST, and it promises to be a stemwinder.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

Mike McKenna earned the shutout in the Texas Stars’ 1-0 win over the Milwaukee Admirals.

Finally

University of North Texas Ice Hockey has earned the 2017-18 Texas Collegiate Hockey Conference championship – and the opportunity to participate in ACHA regionals in Utah. Club teams don’t receive university funds for these trips, so Mean Green alumni have stepped up. They’re just a few hundred dollars away from their goal – check their progress, and chuck in a buck if you can. [UNT Hockey | GoFundMe]

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