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Seguin wants ‘leadership role’ in Dallas

Tyler Seguin

Tyler Seguin speaks at a press conference where he was introduced as a NHL hockey player for the Dallas Stars, in Dallas, Tuesday, July 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes_)

AP

Though he’s only 21, Tyler Seguin is ready to step up and take charge of the Stars.

“I want to earn my way around Dallas, (taking a) young leadership role,” the former Bruin told the Toronto Star. “If you look at my resume, it has those things required to make me a leader with what I’ve been through already.”

Seguin’s line of thinking is this:

In three seasons, he’s already been to two Stanley Cup finals (winning once), made the playoffs every year and, subsequently, has accumulated more postseason experience than some guys get over a lifetime.

That experience, he says, should put him in a position to lead a Dallas club that hasn’t been to the playoffs in five years.

“I’m still pretty young in this league,” he acknowledged, “but going to the Cup finals and winning it in my first year, then losing this year, I feel like I know a lot, what it takes, what it tastes like, how the team has to be to get to certain areas.”

To some, Seguin’s talk of taking a leadership role might induce eye-rolls. His Bruins exit was marred by allegations of immaturity and a party lifestyle, and there was a minor controversy following his arrival in Dallas when he alleged someone “hacked” his Twitter account.

That said, there is an opportunity for him to forge a prominent role on the Stars.

On the current roster, none of Dallas’ young core guys -- Jamie Benn, Cody Eakin, Valeri Nichushkin, Brenden Dillon, Jamie Oleksiak -- have tasted postseason hockey. Seguin could emerge as the voice of experience for that group.