You already know what it was like to watch the Dallas Stars steal Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals, only to collapse before the finish line during Game 7.
Now imagine being one of the NHL’s top five forwards and having to sit in the press box as your team fights in vain. Tyler Seguin talked about it on Friday, writes Mike Heika:
Seguin said he knew when he either strained or tore his calf muscle in Game 2 that he was going to have problems. He finished the game and played 15:40,but he struggled throughout.
“It was terrible,” Seguin said. “Honestly, I didn’t really tell Lindy about it at the time. I hadn’t been in the lineup, so I kind of kept it to myself and told (head trainer) Dave (Zeis) but not really Lindy. I’ve never felt anything like that.”
And the physical pain came with a king-size dose of frustration as his fellow Stars began to struggle without him:
Seguin said the experience was mentally exhausting. He said watching his teammates battle hard for two months without him was tough.
…
Now, he said, he will focus on being ready for the World Cup of Hockey, which starts Sept. 17 in Toronto. Seguin and Jamie Benn have been selected for Team Canada.
“My motivation’s huge,” Seguin said. “This offseason is going to be a little different with that World Cup stuff happening and with being injured, continuing rehab…. I’m really working very hard on that probably starting next week and getting it back to 100 percent.”
There’s much more at Mike’s blog. [SportsDayDFW]
And here’s Ty-Lord talking to the media during Friday exit interviews.
*****
Elsewhere in Heika: With several young Stars claiming or up for roster spots in the World Cup of Hockey, including Seguin, JaBenn, John Klingberg and others, Mike figures the team’s future is in great hands.
Why should Stars fans be excited about team’s future? Look to the World Cup | @MikeHeika https://t.co/LhTIkPzL0j pic.twitter.com/B2s9aTKLev
— SportsDayDFW (@SportsDayDFW) May 15, 2016
Meanwhile, Joe Trahan reports on what may happen with the Stars’ two-goalie system. Coach Ruff’s comments may be the most telling. [WFAA]
“You can write any story you want. We used two guys the whole year. They were comfortable with it. It might have been the reason we got to where we got to. It’s not the reason we lost.” – Lindy Ruff
And Allan Muir says the Stars’ Round 2 exit was “part of the process” for a young team that is set to be a serious contender soon, and for years to come. [Sports Illustrated]
There were no Stanley Cup playoff games last night. WOE. Your pain is temporary, however, because the Blues and Sharks start their series tonight at 7 Central, and the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins play Game 2 at the same time on Monday. [NHL]
They’re baaaaack. Ryan Whitney and Mike Rupp preview the Eastern Conference Finals in their latest piece at The Players’ Tribune.
“I guarantee you there’s a lot of people in Toronto right now thinking, Oh … shit.”@ryanwhitney6 on Phil Kesselhttps://t.co/pYq72oy4ih
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) May 13, 2016
Meanwhile, Bolts star Ben Bishop is “day to day” after being stretchered off the ice with a lower-body injury during Friday’s game. #Playoffs [Tampa Bay Times]
Are players emboldened to make dangerous hits if they think a non-injury means no suspension? Kevin Allen is asking now that Ryan Callahan won’t get benched for this head shot on Kris Letang in Game 1. [USA Today]
Here’s one look at the Callahan hit on Letang pic.twitter.com/uvXPpqeLVX
— Jeremy Houghtaling (@JGHoughtaling) May 14, 2016
The last time two 21-year-old goalies met in a Stanley Cup playoff game was 1987, and they were Patrick Roy and Bill Ranford. Chris Johnston takes a look at the paths Andrei Vasilevskiy and Matt Murray have taken to join their company. [Sportsnet]
The St. Louis Blues have reunited the “STL Line” as they prepare to face the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Finals. [NHL]
As NHL injury reports continue to come in, we learn that Philadelphia Flyers stalwarts Claude Giroux and Shayne Gostisbehere will have offseason surgery.
Flyers’ Giroux, Gostisbehere to have hip and abdominal surgeries, expected out 10-12 weeks https://t.co/FLaMFG6FiB
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 15, 2016
Can we maybe wait until they’re both retired before we start playing “who was better” with Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin? Mike Brophy is asking you please. [The Hockey News]
From yesterday’s comments: Calgary Flames netminder Jonas Hiller has signed a three-year contract with EHC Biel in his native Switzerland. [Calgary Sun]
Meanwhile, coach Sheldon Keefe wants top Maple Leafs prospect William Nylander to B-E AGGRESSIVE.
Marlies coach: Nylander needs to be more competitive https://t.co/PbZTWdyevb pic.twitter.com/LpD1MO2Bvz
— theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) May 15, 2016
Esa Lindell isn’t standing around at the IIHF World Championships in Russia. Here’s his first goal for Team Finland.
.@TexasStars defenseman Esa Lindell scores his first goal at this year’s World Championship vs France. #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/UaazHDDLBd
— Marco Bombino (@marco_bombino) May 14, 2016
And best wishes to Radek Faksa as he takes off to play for the Czech Republic. Score a lot, StarFaksa!
See you soon Russia!! #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/vXnx3YZqZN
— Radek Faksa (@RadekFaksa) May 14, 2016
Finally: Denis Gurianov (Guryanov? Let’s hope they settle this soon) dons a goalie mask and pads to demonstrate that his hockey skills aren’t all about forward-ing. Enjoy.