• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Boston Bruins

On Seguin’s Return to Boston and the Fake Art of Winning Trades

By Mike Miccoli November 6th, 2013

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

By Mike Miccoli

(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

The tone was set just as public address announcer Jim Martin announced his name in the Dallas Stars’ starting lineup.

“At center, number 91, Tyler Seguin.”

Boos–a parade of them usually reserved for visiting players such as Matt Cooke, P.K. Subban, or Phil Kessel, all of whom have some muddled backstory that makes them vilified any time they come to Boston. Yet, the 17,565 fans on-hand at the TD Garden on Tuesday night chose to induct a new heel to the class, one that they cheered for about four months earlier.

Seguin, the Bruins second overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, was traded on July 4 to the Dallas Stars along with Rich Peverley and AHLer Ryan Button for Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith, Matt Fraser, and Joe Morrow. Tuesday night was Seguin and Peverley’s return to the Garden to face their former team for the first time. While the Stars won 3-2 in the shootout thanks to Peverley’s clinching goal, Seguin was the primary focus on the night.

Every time Seguin touched the puck, boos rained down on the Stars’ top-line center. He may have been wearing a different number, but Seguin had a target on his back for the entire night. Not because he decided to sign somewhere other than Boston. Not because he demanded to be play for another team. Not even because he injured a current Bruin. Seguin was being booed for something he had zero control over: an offseason trade.

Maybe that’s why Boston is such a tough place to play.

“If I got a contract or a trade to come back here or asked, I don’t think I would come back,” said Seguin after the game, reflecting on his reception. “I think in the end you want to play where you are wanted. I have great relationships with our coach and the GM here, and I know how much they want me. It feels good to play here. I guess that is all I want to say on that.”

Seguin wasn’t a fit in Boston. It could have been because of the Bruins’ defensive-minded system or the fact that he was a young kid who liked the city life a bit too much. What matters is that Seguin wasn’t going to be the player that the Bruins thought he would be if he continued on this path in Boston. So instead of being tied to the player who wasn’t living up to his billing, they did the best thing they could–they traded him to a team where he might succeed for a pretty decent return.

So far in Dallas, Seguin’s been good. Really good, actually. He’s a better “fit” in Dallas and he’ll probably go on to have a great career there just like Phil Kessel is having in Toronto and Joe Thornton in San Jose. It’s irrelevant; some players just do better elsewhere. Boston is a good example of this, too. Ever wonder why Dennis Seidenberg didn’t stick in Philadelphia? Or Phoenix? Or Carolina? Or Florida?

Exactly.

There’s this obsession to immediately dub a team the winner of a trade. It’s worse in Boston where people are still trying to justify which team won the Phil Kessel trade. Maybe it’s because of the scorn still stemming from Boston trading away Thornton in 2005 for an average return. It’s okay for teams to make a trade that benefits both sides. The Seguin trade was just that–it worked for both sides. Although Eriksson hasn’t broken out just yet, he’s a high-caliber player who will actually fit into the Bruins’ defensive-style of play while adding offense.

Dallas got their number one center and a depth forward. Boston got themselves a proven, two-way scorer and some prospects along with cap relief. What’s the problem?

No idea.

So why is everyone booing Tyler Seguin? You could argue that he didn’t score enough goals in the 2013 playoffs. (You could the say the same for current Bruins still on the roster.) You could argue that he didn’t make enough of an impact or even that his reported off-ice antics cost him to focus on the task at hand. Whatever–it doesn’t matter now.

Add Seguin to the list of former Bruins who done the team, its fans, and the city wrong…but for absolutely no reason.

  • Tags
  • Dennis Seidenberg
  • Joe Morrow
  • Loui Eriksson
  • Matt Fraser
  • Phil Kessel
  • Reilly Smith
  • Rich Peverley
  • Ryan Button
  • Tyler Seguin
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 15th 1:29 PM
Archives

Fuhr Suspension Helped Pave Way for NHL Drug Policy

Jan 15th 1:15 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs’ Matthews Calls for Consistency on Cross-Checking Calls (Video)

Jan 15th 1:09 PM
Archives

The 8 Best Defensive Forwards in Hockey History

Jan 15th 12:50 PM
New Jersey Devils

Devils Youth (and Rust) on Display in Season Opener

Jan 15th 12:25 PM
Boston Bruins

NHL Rumors: Canadiens, Blackhawks, Bruins, Oilers, Panthers, More

Jan 15th 12:15 PM
New York Islanders

Islanders Pick Up Where They Left Off in 4-0 Debut

Jan 15th 11:59 AM
Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg Jets’ Home-Opener History

Jan 15th 11:52 AM
Archives

Remembering an Old Friend: Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium

Jan 15th 10:25 AM
Los Angeles Kings

Kings Will Benefit From Doughty & Maatta Pairing

Jan 15th 10:15 AM
Montreal Canadiens

Revisiting the Golden Knights’ Trade for Max Pacioretty

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information