Statistically speaking, Tyler Seguin was an odd choice for the NHL All-Star game. With only 32 points in 48 games, the veteran center is on pace for his lowest point total since coming to Dallas in 2013.
Then again, every team has to send at least one player, and Seguin is the Stars’ leading scorer. Plus if last season’s any indication, his numbers may see an uptick after the bye:
“I didn’t think I was going to start out slow this year… I definitely can look back and see several chances where I could have scored. Then, I’d be sitting here with 17 or 18 goals and nobody would be asking these questions. But the same thing happened early last year and then it picked up at the end and it all worked out OK, so that’s what I’m hoping for.”
Of course, statistics aren’t everything. Ask almost any player and they’ll say that team success is more important, and Seguin is no exception:
“It’s about wins, it really is,” Seguin said… “You’d like to produce more, but it is what it is. If I had an answer, I’d certainly change things, but we’re all working hard and we’re all playing hard, and we’re winning games.”
You can read more from Mike Heika here.
Stars Stories
This is a must read to start your morning if you haven’t already:
I discovered Rangers catcher Jose Trevino’s hockey fandom on Twitter and wondered, “What would it be like to watch a Stars game with @HipHipJose5?”
Last week we did just that at the AAC and discussed baseball, analytics, fatherhood, and hockey. https://t.co/NOPkWsgGH8
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) January 22, 2020
Remember when the Texas Stars also had a horrible start to the season? The AHL squad won 1-0 last night to put them at 7-1-0 for the month:
Texas Plays Ideal Road Game As Bow Blanks Hogs, Tufte Scores First https://t.co/yv93Sx6bAF #txstars pic.twitter.com/HFQgRnVqpQ
— 100 Degree Hockey (@100degreehockey) January 23, 2020
Riley Tufte scored the sole goal of the game, the first of his professional career:
Take a look at all the angles from @rileytufte27’s first professional goal!🚨🌟 pic.twitter.com/tHyRKM2NRh
— Texas Stars (@TexasStars) January 23, 2020
Around the League
Last night concluded all NHL regular season action until after the All-Star game. There were only two games, but both involved the Central:
- Two streaks were extended as the Winnipeg Jets dropped their fourth straight in a 4-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have now won six in-a-row. [The Cannon]
- Meanwhile the Minnesota Wild ended their week on a happy note, beating the Detroit Red Wings 4-2. [Hockey Wilderness]/
Are the Florida Panthers for real? It’s complicated…
Why the streaking Florida Panthers are straddling the line between contender and pretender@THNJaredClinton with more:https://t.co/I7qpw0KtNg
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) January 23, 2020
NHL teams never tank, but then again they totally do:
A ranking from @DownGoesBrown of the 11 teams that are fading out of the playoff race and are in the best position to pull the chute on the season. https://t.co/OGyWmdLIJB
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) January 22, 2020
Elliotte Friedman weighs in on Corey Perry in his latest 31 Thoughts:
31 Thoughts: https://t.co/cKuIZcalWx
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 22, 2020
Man, does anyone want to play in the All-Star Game?
#NHLAllStar Update: @Senators forward Brady Tkachuk will replace @MapleLeafs forward Auston Matthews on the Atlantic Division roster for the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game.
Despite not playing due to injury, Matthews will attend All-Star weekend in St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/iVcwA5jB2B
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 22, 2020
Finally, Gritty — the Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot — has been accused of assaulting a 13 year-old fan, although there doesn’t seem to be any evidence so far of this actually happening:
Gritty is a threat to us all and justice must be served. https://t.co/BvPxLmN2CS
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) January 22, 2020