Tyler Seguin's second-half surge shouldn't come as a surprise

If you're looking for a reason the Stars could be better in the second half of the season and might be able to chase down a playoff spot, then there's no better place to start than the fact five or six players under-performed statistically in the first half of the year.

And if you're looking for a tangible representative of the fact the potential for improvement is real, then why not study the case of Tyler Seguin?
The veteran forward missed all but three games last season and has been rehabbing hard from hip and knee surgeries. That rehab has been part of a process that limited Seguin to 12 points in the first 29 games or an average of .41 points per game. That's a shocking drop when you consider Seguin was once a point-a-game player in his career and as recently as 2019-20 was at .72 points per game.
"Sometimes, you get a little frustrated not having the same kind of game I have in the past," Seguin said earlier in the season. "Some things that used to click in my head and the opportunities I would get, I haven't really seen this year."
But as the calendar changed to 2022, things have been changing for Seguin. In his past 12 games, he has seven goals and six assists for 13 points. That pace seems a little more familiar.
Seguin's play has earned him a move back to center after he bounced around the lineup a little bit. His time on ice has been all over the place, as well, as he averaged 19:30 in October, 17:15 in November, 15:48 in December, 17:24 in January and 19:47 so far in February. It's been a journey for both the player and the coaching staff.
"When he's skating like that, you can just see the jump is there," Stars coach Rick Bowness said recently. "I wanted to put him back at center, and he had an outstanding game for us. I know you note the goal, but he did a lot of really good things."
Those other things are at the crux of why Seguin can be so important. He's the team's highest-paid player and is second on the team in scoring (to Jamie Benn) since he joined the Stars in 2013. He's a 54 percent faceoff guy, and he's even become a responsible checker.
So, yeah, it sure would be nice to get him back to full strength.
"In training camp, I got humbled in many ways," Seguin said of the challenge of returning. "It was so positive because I didn't have the pain anymore, but there was still so much to work on as far as strength and explosiveness. The progress I've made now is great, and I'm hoping to see the full benefits as the year goes on."
Seguin said he's had to adjust expectations and also continue to stay positive. That hasn't been easy, especially when the team could have used some depth scoring.
"Mentally, it's taken some time," he said. "I have very high expectations of myself, but they're definitely rising now with how I'm feeling better and better. I'm just trying to dial it right now and take the next step, and I feel like I'm getting there."
But, he added, he can do even more.
"If you look at everyone outside the three guys that lead the way, then everyone has got a little bit more, some guys maybe a lot more," he said. "You look at the potential there, and there's excitement, but then you also realize you've got to look in your own mirror. It's like back in training camp, where we've got the pieces and to the eye on the paper it looks great."
Because if he keeps up his pace, and he's joined by players like Benn, Alexander Radulov, John Klingberg and Radek Faksa, the Stars' goal scoring could increase quite a bit. And if the goal-scoring increases, then the wins should increase.
"We've made a lot of strides on the road," Seguin said. "I think there's a lot more balance throughout the lineup. That's something to build off."
As the team continues this three-game road trip, there's the chance to build off a huge 4-1 win over Colorado. And if Seguin continues to take strides forward, then the chance for consistency definitely improves for Dallas.
"He's getting his legs back under him and I think he's feeling a lot better," Bowness said. "There's been some really good flashes. We know the upside is there. We have to keep pushing, and he has to keep pushing himself to get to that upside on a more consistent basis."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.