FRISCO, Texas -- Since Tyler Seguin has either led or been tied for the National Hockey League lead in goals for much of this season, it makes sense that the Dallas Stars center was named to appear in his second NHL All-Star Game over the weekend.
Seguin, 22, is currently tied with Rick Nash of the New York Rangers for the league lead with 26 goals. And while there's no doubting his truly God-given gifts on the offensive end, whether it's his incredible vision, creativity or a shot that is one of the best in the NHL, in this, his second season in Dallas playing under Lindy Ruff, what might have been most impressive about No. 91 thus far is just how much he continues evolving as a two-way player.
Ruff still calls his top scorer a work in progress on the other end of the ice, but likes what he has seen from Seguin thus far in several areas.
"I think there's opportunity to improve in the faceoff circle, which he's done. I'd still like to see him be just a little bit more physical when it comes to the defensive zone coverage where more than just a stick fight, you end up with a little bit of body positioning and trying to knock somebody off the puck, which is a direction I've been working with him," Ruff said.
Stars captain Jamie Benn, who has played on the same line with Seguin and who has also become close friends with his teammate, has seen many of the same things from his linemate this season as Ruff just discussed.
"He raised his game to another level. He just keeps working towards being a top center in this league. I think he's definitely up there now," Benn, an NHL All-Star himself in 2012, said. "He's definitely a little more mature now, (has) a little more responsibility and I think he's turning into a bit of a leader on this team."
Seguin's natural ability on the ice is truly undeniable for anyone who has ever seen him play. But if there is a somewhat underrated aspect of this young talent, it has to be his relentless work ethic to continually evolve as a player and improve every aspect of his game, both offensively and defensively.
He has especially taken to Ruff's approach of wanting every member of his roster, no matter where their individual strengths may lie, to become more effective on both ends of the ice.
One area where he and Ruff both want to continue seeing marked improvement is in the faceoff circle.
"I've improved," Seguin said. "Overall, I definitely have improved in that category and I want to keep getting better."
And as far as becoming more of a true two-way player, again No. 91 takes great pride in the strides he has already made, but also realizes there is plenty of work still to be done if he is to become the sort of two-way player Ruff expects him to be and has the utmost confidence that he can one day become.
"It's something I am still growing with, something I am still improving on and I still have a ways to go," Seguin said.
Stars center Jason Spezza has been an All-Star twice during his notable career and like the rest of his teammates, he feels No. 91 is more than deserving of representing the Dallas organization at the midseason classic in Columbus later this month.
"Yeah, we're proud of Segy for the first half of the year that he's had and I really think the sky's the limit for him. He's a competitive kid. He's got unbelievable talent and I think it's good that he's pushing himself and those are big honors," Spezza said. "It's not easy to be an All-Star in this league. It's not easy to score the amount of goals he's scoring and we're happy for him. We want to keep him going."
Besides the progress he's made in the faceoff circle, Ruff is pleased to see Seguin also continuing to develop several aspects of his defensive game, improvements which the veteran head coach feels have benefited him on both ends of the ice.
"His reads when it comes to once the puck gets up to the point, finding his coverage, is just another area that I think he's improved at that he's been able to find that. He's been able to box out and I think it's really helped him," Ruff said.
But while No. 91 is currently tied with Nash for the league lead in goals, as he looks at his performance over the first 42 games of the season, he sees a lot to like, but also sees areas where he'd still like to continue improving.
"Three-quarters good, the last quarter I haven't been playing as well. I want to get back to playing my 200-foot game and focusing a bit more on the defense," Seguin said.
However, that doesn't mean he isn't going to savor being the lone Stars' representative at the 2015 NHL All-Star Game, even if he has been there before, appearing in the 2012 contest while with the Boston Bruins.
"It's definitely an honor. It is such a great league with so many great players. To be one of those select few, I am really looking forward to it," Seguin said.
