#8 – FORWARD, TYLER SEGUIN
On July 4th, 2013, the Boston Bruins traded speedy center and 2010 2nd overall selection Tyler Seguin to Dallas for a package that, most notably, included two-way forward Loui Eriksson. What Boston didn’t take into account that day is that Seguin would become perhaps the preeminent offensive center in hockey afterwards.
A Stanley Cup champion in 2011, Seguin potted 56 goals and 65 assists as a Bruin, which are truly respectable numbers for a team that deep, especially considering his 67-point, 20-year-old campaign of 2011-12. However, Boston management grew tired of the Brampton, Ontario native’s party boy demeanor, and thus dealt him to Dallas.
Dallas Stars
I think I speak for the collective Dallas Stars fanbase when I say… Thank you, Boston.
In Seguin’s first season as a Dallas Star, he led the team in goals (37) and points (84) while forming an impenetrable duo of him and Dallas captain Jamie Benn. Seguin brought the Stanley Cup Playoffs back to the city of Dallas for the first time since 2008 while his career-best season allowed him to finish 6th in Hart Trophy voting.
Each of the first three seasons of the 6’1″ righty’s Dallas tenure featured 30 or more goals and 40+ assists (both of which he can potentially reach this year). Seguin is the Stars’ leading scorer this season, with 21 goals and 35 assists.
As his 290 points (128 goals and 162 assists) in 282 games puts him in the top-10 in both goals and points for the franchise history, Seguin has established himself as a significant part of the Dallas core for its window of Stanley Cup potential. This team still has quite a bit left in them, and Seguin will help lead that charge.