Tyler Seguin's run with the Dallas Stars began with an apology. After the Boston Bruins opted to trade away the young star, Seguin is aiming to be the new face in Dallas. However, instead of making noise for the style of play the 21-year-old is hoping to bring to the Stars, he made headlines for a social media incident.
Seguin apologized during his introductory press conference for ant-game comments that appeared on his Twitter account. The young forward stressed that his account had been hacked, but also acknowledged that the excuse probably does not sound believable. The tweet appeared after Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli said Seguin needed to be a better pro.
"I understand why that would have been the perfect time for somebody to do that. I'm looking forward to moving on and earning the respect of everyone else," Seguin told media.
Seguin discussed the incident with Dallas general manager Jim Nill and decided to shut down his Twitter account. Nill echoed these comments, noting that it was best to focus on Seguin's style of play and what he will offer Dallas instead of situations from the past.
"I think it is a great chance for Tyler to turn the page. He's starting a new career down here in Dallas. We had a great talk about it," Nill said.
Seguin was a former No. 2 overall draft pick and traded just three years later. While productive on the ice, the Bruins were not happy with Seguin's antics off the ice. Some Bruins fans felt the trade was a rash overreaction and that the team gave up on the young athlete too soon. Seguin was starting to be groomed as a face of the franchise, but after one mid-level season, the Bruins gave up.
Seguin is expected to switch from playing a wing to moving more into the middle of the ice. He is expected to skae alongside All-Star Jamie Benn and Rich Peverley. Nill complemented the forward on his skating abilities, noting that played a large role in the decision to switch positions. He compared Seguin to Mike Modano who now serves as a special adviser to the Stars after retiring. Seguin hopes to become the kind of player Modano was.
"Yeah, that's what I want to be," Seguin said. "That's the shoes I want to step into. Obviously that's far-fetched from where I'm standing now, being 21. But growing up, my favorite player was always Steve Yzerman. I looked up to him and his type of game and Modano's pretty much the same style."
