The 2018 NHL All-Star Weekend is a thing of the past, but overall, it was a pretty solid success. How did the two Dallas Stars do throughout all of the festivities?
While Tampa, Florida recovers from a crazy weekend filled with excitement and entertainment, so are the Dallas Stars and the rest of the NHL. And what a weekend it was.
The NHL as a whole will take its fourth and final day off from regular season play today. Part of that is to give All-Stars the chance to return to their respective homes, and the other part is to give everyone a chance to recuperate.
Last night, both Tyler Seguin and John Klingberg hopped a plane and headed back for Dallas after a weekend of fun. The forward and defenseman were the two Dallas Stars selected for this year’s All-Star Weekend, and they didn’t disappoint. They were both solid and entertaining personalities both on the ice and behind the scenes.
But what all did each player do this weekend? Did they win anything big or shiny? Will the Dallas Stars gain a lot of relevance for something that was done? Or was it simply a weekend filled with pictures of Tyler Seguin with puppies and a video of John Klingberg almost being nipped by a parrot? Well, a little bit of everything.
So #NHLAllStar Weekend is off to a good start. pic.twitter.com/r3LKxVUyPK
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 26, 2018
The weekend’s competition started on Saturday night with the annual Skills Competition. Both Dallas Stars players were involved in an event, with Seguin participating in the Puck Control Relay while Klingberg took a stab at Hardest Shot.
A Winning Habit
Upon first glance, these assignments seemed a bit odd. While Seguin is good at puck control, he’s also known as an expert passer and a sniper. With that being said, not putting him on the Passing Challenge or Accuracy Shooting seemed a bit weird.
On the other hand, John Klingberg currently leads all NHL defensemen in points by a significant margin and is known for his passing skills. He’s an elite defenseman that plays well in both zones, but his slap shot? Let’s just say it’s never been regarded or known as one of the hardest or strongest.
But he impressed. Klingberg hit 96.6 MPH in the first round of the challenge and followed it up with a 97.6 MPH shot in the second round. Though his fastest time would end up placing third overall of the five shooters, it is definitely worth noting now that Klingberg has a CANNON. #JohnnyRocket anyone?
Meanwhile, Seguin finished in seventh of eight places in the Puck Control Relay. But hey, he didn’t finish last AND he beat Auston Matthews, so we’ll call that a small victory.
In addition, they both also took part in the Save Streak Challenge, but neither ended up scoring a shootout goal.
Then came the All-Star Game itself on Sunday. The Central Division hit the ice first against the Pacific Division to kick off the 3-on-3 tournament, but things didn’t go entirely well for the toughest division in hockey.
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After giving up five goals in the second and final half, the Central dropped a 5-2 decision to the Pacific. In addition, the Dallas Stars were largely quiet throughout it all. Besides a breakaway or two for both Seguin and Klingberg that they didn’t cash in on, their presence on the ice wasn’t really felt.
But still, they put together a few good chances and made something of their time on the ice. And at the end of the day, that’s the goal of most All-Stars: enjoy their time and do something of note on the ice.
Immediately following the conclusion of the All-Star Game, they hopped a plane bound for Big D. It was a fun endeavor and a chance to get away, but now it’s back to work.
The Dallas Stars are interlocked in a tight Western Conference playoff race, and there’s little room for being lazy. Klingberg and Seguin will need to hop right back into the thick of it with the rest of the team and refocus. The ASG offered a fun break for the entire team, but now it’s back to business.
Next: Klingberg Makes Initial List Of Norris Trophy Finalists
Next up is Los Angeles tomorrow night. The All-Star festivities are over and it’s time for more action.