Tyler Seguin was traded to the Dallas Stars in 2013 after winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 during his rookie season with the Boston Bruins.
The 6-foot-1 center, the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, made it to the NHL finals again in 2013, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks, before his trade to Dallas.
Dallas Coach Peter DeBoer has a 54-47 playoff record in 16 years as an NHL head coach. He has lost in the Stanley Cup finals twice in his career, first to the Los Angeles Kings when he was coaching the New Jersey Devils in 2012, then to the Pittsburgh Penguins as coach of the San Jose Sharks in 2016.
DeBoer is in his first season with the Stars.
Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer
With those qualifications, The Dallas Express asked them to explain the difference in intensity between playoff hockey and the regular season.
“The difference is like night and day,” Seguin told The Dallas Express on Tuesday, the afternoon after the Stars lost a 3-2, four-hour, double-overtime game to Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. “The emotions, speed, physical contact and details that go into a playoff game are heightened. The playoffs are so important, guys play through some crazy things and make crazy plays.
“Guys want to do everything they can for the guy playing next to them,” Seguin added. “Game 1 [against the Wild] was a perfect illustration of that. You know you’re back in the grind when the first one is a two-OT game.”
DeBoer said his first home playoff game with the Stars was a memorable one for him and the fans. The Canadian said he noticed “every fan seemed to be standing” for both overtimes.
“How would I explain the difference? It’s like a little league football game compared to an NFL game,” DeBoer told The Dallas Express. “The physicality, the nastiness, and the temperature go to a whole different level.
“I thought the crowd was incredible,” he continued. “They noticed the difference. There are some folks who are going to have sore feet for a while.”
Not to mention sleep deprivation. The game ended at 1 a.m. Tuesday.
Game 2 is at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at American Airlines Center.
What a waste of space. Hockey fans already know it is different, who are you writing this for? People who won’t read it is the answer.