Tyler Seguin not quite ready to become a rapper, but appreciates work of friend 'Mike Stud'

Tyler Seguin has a lot of friends who are athletes, and at least one who has become a rapper.

Seguin hung out one night last week at Trees with good friend and rapper Mike Stud, who was performing. The evening turned into a full-fledged athlete get-together, with Mavericks swingman Chandler Parsons and Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel also on hand.

"I think we tend to congregate; there's a lot in common and a lot of connections," Seguin said.

Seguin has known Stud for years. He got to know the former Duke pitcher, whose given name is Michael Seander, while played for the Boston Bruins.

Seander saw his athletic career end because of Tommy John surgery. He started rapping as a joke, but he gained fans and has since put out albums and gone on tour as Mike Stud. Seguin and Manziel are even mentioned in his songs.

"It's fun to watch him. He's really creative. I respect his talent," Seguin said. "He'll be working on a beat and then he'll leave the room for five minutes and come back with a whole verse. It's amazing to watch."

Seguin said he has no future in rapping but enjoys the concerts. He said he has gotten to know Manziel and Parsons and also is friends with Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, another Duke alum.

Seguin has met players through sponsor connections, awards shows and mutual friends.

"Athletes tend to appreciate one another and what the other can do," Seguin said. "I think we can relate."

An account of the evening was reported by TMZ.

"It's a little weird, but it's just sort of how it is," Seguin said of the report. "I was there more to see a friend than anything else, but you just sort of expect it now."

2 short-handed goals help Avalanche beat Stars 3-1

DALLAS - For three years in a row now, the Colorado Avalanche have dominated Dallas.

At least on the scoreboard.

Carl Soderberg and Gabriel Landeskog each scored a short-handed goal, and the Avalanche beat the Stars 3-1 Saturday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

Semyon Varlamov made 42 saves for the Avalanche, outshot 43-15. Mikhail Grigorenko added Colorado's final goal with 5:51 remaining.

The Avalanche beat Dallas for the 11th time in 12 meetings during Lindy Ruff's three seasons as Stars coach.

"Those are things that you can't really explain," Landeskog said. "They're one of the best teams in the league this year and they're playing really well. It's just a matter of trying to get ourselves in a good spot."

The Stars totalled 106 shots, but the Avalanche blocked 32 and Dallas misfired on 31 others.

"I thought our penalty killing was really good, and we scored two short-handed goals. That gave us a chance to win this game, and (Varlamov) was phenomenal out there," Colorado coach Patrick Roy said.

Jason Demers scored for the Stars, who fell to 2-6-2 in their last 10 games. Antti Niemi stopped 12 shots.

"To force them out of their game, you have to get the lead," Ruff said. "We didn't force them out of their game. We had to be a little harder around the front of the net."

Landeskog's goal at 10:12 of the second period broke a 1-all tie. Tyson Barrie pushed the puck ahead to Landeskog, who skated in alone and put a wrist shot past Niemi.

Colorado's penalty killers are 19 for 21 in the last seven games, with three short-handed goals.

"I realized I was on my own," Landeskog said. "I kind of had my mind made up already what I was doing coming in on him. It doesn't happen very often that you score one short-handed goal, nonetheless two."

Dallas dominated the early play, but Varlamov denied good chances for Johnny Oduya, Valeri Nichushkin and Tyler Seguin. Demers tied it for the Stars on the power play at 7:24 of the second.

Midway through the first period, Niemi saved a close-in shot by Soderberg with his pads and engulfed John Mitchell's wrist shot from the slot.

Soderberg gained redemption during the first period's only power play. He won a battle for the puck from Jamie Benn, skated in on Niemi and flipped a wrist shot into the upper left corner at 19:07.

In the second period, the Stars had the first 12 shots on goal, finally scoring on the ninth when Demers backhanded in a rebound from the blue paint.

Dallas' goal appeared to come with a bonus: Soderberg hit Demers with a high stick that drew blood and a double-minor. Landeskog scored during the 4-minute power play, however, and Grigorenko put in his own rebound over Niemi's glove for a 3-1 lead.

"I'm pretty tired after back-to-back games," Varlamov said. "Those were very intense games for us. I think we almost died after the second period. We took too many penalties and then they were all over us. Thank God that we scored."

NOTES: Avalanche RW Jack Skille left in the first period with a back injury after crashing into the boards following a shot that Niemi saved. ... Colorado welcomed back D Erik Johnson, who missed nine games because of a lower-body injury, and LW Blake Comeau, who missed Friday's game while his wife was giving birth to their second daughter. ... The short-handed goals moved the Avalanche up to fifth in the NHL with six, trailing Ottawa (nine), Montreal (eight) and Dallas and Winnipeg (seven each). ... Landeskog has three goals in two games vs. Dallas this season. ... The Stars are 1-8-3 against Colorado in Ruff's tenure as coach, including losses in both games this season. ... The Stars scored once on five power plays, but gave up the two short-handed goals and are 4 for 33 over the last 12 games.

Heika: Dallas Stars seem to be embracing attitude Tyler Seguin once preached

Dallas Stars beat writer Mike Heika recently hosted a chat to talk all things hockey. Here are some of the highlights:

Question: During Tyler Seguin's first year here, he said the Stars had to learn to "hate to lose" after a loss. Boston had that attitude. Do you think the Stars are learning that finally? And if so, what is driving that?

Heika: I do think they have that attitude. It would be easy to say Jamie Benn is the leader. He has been here longer than any other player, and he has been through the down years, so you can sense his motivation. But everyone has his own story. Seguin talks about losing in the Stanley Cup finals and how it was one of the worst feelings ever. Sharp and Oduya are coming from a team that has been through it all. Antti Niemi seems extremely competitive. I think it is something that they're sharing, and something that is magnified by the fact they know how good this team can be.

Question: Can't remember the last time I saw a Stars comeback that was like the one in Minnesota. This team seems different.

Heika: There hasn't been one that big in a while (officially 2007), but they have been very good in third periods this season, and the comeback was part of that. Dallas was outscored 101-74 in third periods last season. They are outscoring opponents 34-17 this season. That is a significant difference.

Question: Were Saturday's first-period difficulties more the result of the back-to-back, or the stronger competition of the Central Division, and how does that bode for future Central matchups?

Heika: I think back-to-back and a motivated Minnesota team. Dallas was coming off a big win and Minnesota was coming off a disheartening loss, and that seemed clear in the first period. The Central will be tough, but the Stars seem excited about testing themselves with some tough divisional games.

Question: Didn't the Wild want to play the Stars in an outdoors game? Do you see one of those in the team's future?

Heika: It's a difficult thing to sort through. These decisions get made by NHL officials, television executives and teams. The Stars were thought to be the perfect opponent for an outdoor game, because of their history in Minnesota. However, Chicago was chosen as the opponent. The Wild, I believe preferred to go with Chicago because of their rivalry with that team and the national cache of three Stanley Cups. I believe television execs agreed with that decision. I'm not sure on the Stars doing an outside game. There is no natural rival. It also might be tough to hold at AT&T Stadium because of the prep time. We'll see. There are no talks ongoing at this time.

Tyler Seguin has scored 11 of his 13 goals on the road, as Stars lead NHL with 10-2-0 road record

CALGARY, Alberta - Maybe it’s the snappy white uniforms.

Maybe it’s the chance to play the villain.

Maybe he prefers being the hunted rather than the hunter.

Whatever the case, Tyler Seguin is tearing it up on the road this season. He leads the league with 20 points in 12 road games, including 11 of his 13 goals this season. On Saturday, he started the Stars’ four-game road trip off on the right skate when he popped in the overtime winner against Minnesota.

It was the kind of thing that has happened to him on the road more this season, where he received a perfect pass from linemate Jamie Benn, and he pretty much had to shoot. At home, he has tried to be more cautious, more selective, but things have just clicked on the road.

“I think maybe I shoot the puck more on the road, it is a simpler game,” Seguin said. “Honestly, though, it really doesn’t seem that different to me. I think maybe they’re just going in on the road.”

There are some interesting theories you can ponder, though. Stars coach Lindy Ruff has been using the top line more in a defensive role this season and has been asking Seguin, Jamie Benn and Patrick Sharp to be strong checkers against the opposing team’s best scorers. Because Ruff gets to match lines more at home, the message seems clear that those players are the hunters.

“I’ve been thinking a lot more about my D-zone coverage, and that’s probably more a concern at home just because of the way we’re used,” Seguin said.

On the road, the Benn, Seguin and Sharp line typically draws the other team’s best defenders, and that allows them to concentrate a little more on offense. Still, Seguin is the outlier in the group. Benn has 12 of his 18 goals at home. Sharp has 13 points at home and seven on the road.

“It’s probably just a small sample size and might be a little bit of a fluke,” said Sharp. “If anything, it’s a credit to Seggy, because he’s getting the other team’s best players on the road, and he’s finding a way to succeed even though he has to fight through that.”

Sharp said he does notice Seguin improving his all-around game. The 23-year-old center worked hard in recent years to improve faceoff success, and he currently sits second on the Stars at 55.9 percent. Now, he’s turning that focus to his two-way play.

“I’ve watched him from both sides, and I think he is getting better,” Sharp said of seeing Seguin as an opponent and as a teammate. “I think you look at something like his faceoffs, and he found a way to improve a lot in a short time. He’s a guy who works every day to make himself better, and you love to see that.”

Does that explain scoring 11 of 13 goals on the road in the first 24 games? Probably not. But whatever the case, it’s helping the Stars win. Dallas has the best road record in the NHL at 10-2-0, and that’s been a key with three four-game road trips in the first 27 games of the season.

Had the Stars not been able to find success as the visitor, things might not be going as smoothly as they are for Dallas.

“If you’re winning, it helps,” Ruff said of the road. “The road trips can bring a team together. We’ve played a pretty good brand of hockey on the road, and we want to continue that.”

Spezza, McDonagh among bounce-back players

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price was the Fantasy MVP last season and no doubt helped many who owned him to fantasy championships.

But it takes more than a great season from a goalie to win. You also need to be able to identify when to drop a player who is playing below his draft value. It's not easy dropping Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, who had 38 points one season after winning the Calder Trophy, but holding on to a player and waiting for them to turn the corner during a rough year can be costly.

Here are 10 players you can expect to have bounce back fantasy seasons:

Lucic should see a spike in his offensive numbers and peripherals as well.Milan Lucic, Los Angeles Kings, LW -- Lucic is always coveted in fantasy hockey because he covers every offensive category (goals, assists, points, plus-minus) and also adds penalty minutes and hits. But last season was the worst of his career. In his first 37 games, Lucic had six goals, 18 points (four power-play points) and was a plus-3. In the remaining 44 games, he had 12 goals, 26 points, and was a plus-10. The 44 points and 141 shots on goal were his lowest in a full season since 2009-10, and the 81 penalty minutes were his fewest since 2012-13. He did have a career-high 259 hits, which ranked 10th in the League. Now with the Kings, and with better talent around him,

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche, C/RW -- The No. 1 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft and Calder Trophy winner saw a drop in production across the board last season. In 2013-14, he played 82 games, had 24 goals, 63 points, was a plus-20, had eight power-play goals, 26 penalty minutes and 241 shots (10.0 shooting percentage). But the only number that increased was his penalty minutes (34); the goals (14), points (38), plus-minus (-7), power-play goals (three), shots (192) and shooting percentage (7.3 percent) all decreased. True, he missed 18 games with a broken foot, but he wasn't nearly as productive as he was in 2013-14. Expect his third season to be closer to his first, in terms of production.

Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins, D -- One of the most coveted fantasy defenseman for the past decade, Chara's production took a hit last season. His eight goals and 20 points were his fewest in a full season since the 2000-01 season, showing how valuable he's been. In 63 games, Chara had 42 penalty minutes, four power-play goals and 138 shots on goal, and a zero plus-minus ranking, each low totals for him. He missed seven weeks with a knee injury, but hadn't been very productive prior to that, so it's tough to blame most of his disappointing season solely on the injury. In the past 10 full NHL seasons, Chara has averaged 13.7 goals, 42.8 points, 96 penalty minutes, 8.1 power-play goals and a plus-17.6 rating. Chara is the 48th-ranked defenseman on Yahoo!, but should be taken well above that number.

Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes, LW/RW -- Skinner has been in the League for five seasons, and 2014-15 was the first time in a non-shortened season that he scored fewer than 20 goals (18). He had 31 goals and 63 points in 2010-11 when he won the Calder Trophy. In 2013-14, Skinner had 33 goals, 54 points, 11 power-play goals and was a minus-14. He had fewer points (31) last season than goals the previous season and had fewer power-play goals (four) and 39 fewer shots on goal in six more games, and his shooting percentage fell from 12 percent to 7.7 percent. Playing on the first line with likely linemates Eric Staal and Elias Lindholm, expect Skinner to top 20 goals and 50 points.

Chris Kunitz, Pittsburgh Penguins, LW -- Seventeen goals and 40 points are not what you expect from a six-time 20 goal scorer. Kunitz did have nine power-play goals, but was a plus-2 and had 170 shots, and a shooting percentage of 10 percent. In 2013-14, he had 35 goals, 68 points, was a plus-25, had 13 power-play goals and 218 shots (16.1 shooting percentage). The Penguins finished 19th in the League in scoring last season, but the addition of right wing Phil Kessel should help that, and Kunitz, who likely will skate on a line with Kessel and Sidney Crosby is primed for a bounce back season.

Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche, C/LW -- It was a difficult season for the Colorado Avalanche, failing to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Matt Duchene had 21 goals and 55 points which may seem like good numbers, but it was his second-lowest goal total in five full NHL seasons. The 55 points matched his total from his rookie season (2009-10) and more was expected from Duchene, especially after 23 goals, 70 points and 217 shots on goal. His plus/minus rating went from plus-8 to plus-3 and he had fewer penalty minutes (16) and power-play goals (two) in 11 more games. Because of his disappointing season, Duchene likely will still be around in the seventh or eighth round.

Mike Smith, Arizona Coyotes, G -- In 62 starts, Smith won 14 games and lost 47 last season and had the highest goals-against average of his career (3.16) and his lowest save percentage (.904) since 2010-11 when he was with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also failed to have a shutout for the first time in his nine-year career. It's difficult to imagine Smith not doing better than each of those totals this season, even if the Coyotes' offense (29th in goals per game last season) and defense (28th in goals allowed per game) aren't much improved. Coach Dave Tippett and general manager Don Maloney have continually expressed confidence in Smith and he should see another 60-plus starts this season, barring an injury.

Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers, D -- McDonagh, who sustained a broken foot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, said he is fully healed. After a career year in 2013-14 (14 goals, 43 points, plus-11, 36 penalty minutes, 177 shots on goal, 7.9 percent shooting percentage), the 26-year-old defenseman played more of a shutdown role last season. McDonagh scored eight goals, had 33 points, was a plus-23 and had 26 penalty minutes. The 148 shots and 5.3 shooting percentage were also lower than his previous season. Expect a 10-goal, 40-point season from McDonagh, who should finish higher than last season when he was tied for 43rd in goals among defenseman and tied for 45th in points.

Antti Niemi, Dallas Stars, G -- A change in scenery may be beneficial to Niemi, who struggled last season in San Jose. He went 31-23-7 in 61 games with five shutouts but had the highest GAA of his career (2.59). He's won at least 24 games in each of the past six seasons, although that number could slip this season, since he's slated to split time with Kari Lehtonen. The Stars have a high-powered offense, but they also have a suspect defense. But expect Niemi to improve on most numbers from last season, except the win total.

Jason Spezza, Dallas Stars, C -- Spezza struggled with 17 goals and 62 points, his fewest goals since his rookie season (2002-03) and his fewest points since the 2010-11 season. He's an eight-time 20 goal scorer, and the addition of Patrick Sharp creates one of the best top-six forward combinations in the League. Spezza likely will either be centering Sharp and Ales Hemsky or on a line with Jamie Benn andTyler Seguin. Either way, the 32-year-old Spezza is in line for a big offensive season for the Stars, who added punch this offseason to what was already one of the highest scoring teams in the League.

Honorable mention: Alexander Semin (Montreal Canadiens), Bobby Ryan (Ottawa Senators), Artem Anisimov (Chicago Blackhawks).

Heika: As a team, Stars should lead the league in scoring this season

Dallas Stars insider Mike Heika hosted a chat Wednesday to talk all things hockey. Here are some of the highlights:

How should the Stars approach this season to avoid that slow start like they had last year?

Heika: They've already started in the summer. The players are all aware of the problems and have been working on them in their heads or even on the ice (in the World Championships). Two things that should help. One, every player is going to be dedicated to better defensive play. And two, they seem better prepared for injuries and transition to new players. Spezza and Hemsky struggled early last season, and Nichushkin and Nemeth were hurt. I believe the Stars will be better prepared for the assimilation of Sharp and Oduya, and the depth will be ready to jump in if injuries become an issue.

I'm predicting that Tyler Seguin leads the league in scoring this year. Takes that title away from Benn.

Heika: That's a fair bet. He was on pace to do it last year. The Stars were second in scoring last season and have added Patrick Sharp and Val Nichushkin to the lineup. They should have several players among the scoring leaders and should lead the league in scoring as a team.

What move from the offseason do you think the club will regret the most that they didn't do?

Heika: Wow, that's a tough one. I was interested in Cody Franson, and that was certainly a doable move, but the league is not high on him right now. The book is he doesn't move the puck fast enough and isn't physical enough. So, I'm going to say the Stars enter the season with no regerts at this time. They might even get that tattooed on their logo somewhere.

What will Jordie Benn's role be this year?

Heika: He is very hard to knock off that mountain. There has been a line of young defensemen trying to take his minutes for a couple of years, and coaches still want him on the ice pretty much every game. This could be the year he becomes a seventh defenseman, and if he does I think he would be a great seventh defensemen. He's very dependable when his minutes don't get too high.

Dallas Stars preview: They now have a Blackhawks vibe

Arrivals: RW Patrick Sharp and D Stephen Johns (trade with Chicago Blackhawks), G Antti Niemi, D Johnny Oduya (free agents)

Departures: D Trevor Daley, F Ryan Garbutt (traded to Chicago), G Jhonas Enroth (signed with Los Angeles Kings)

Goaltending: The perception is the Stars are overpaying for average goaltending. They Stars have committed a combined $10.3 million for Kari Lehtonen (34-17-10, 2.94, .903) and Niemi (31-23-7, 2.59, .914). Neither is coming off a strong season. But Niemi and Lehtonen are fellow Finns who know and like each other. They will push each other to a higher performance level. Keep in mind that Lehtonen played well for the Stars two seasons ago and worked hard on his conditioning in the offseason. The Stars also like that Niemi owns a .916 career save percentage and was in net for the Blackhawks’ championship run in 2010.

Analysis: GM Jim Nill’s aggressive managerial style showed this summer when he acquired three players with Stanley Cup rings to help his team take the next step. With Sharp’s arrival and RW Valeri Nichushkin’s continued development, the Stars might be able to surpass the Tampa Lightning as the NHL’s most dangerous offensive team. The Stars ranked second in goals last season. The Tyler Seguin-Jamie Benn offensive connection was unstoppable. But dominant offense wasn’t enough to push the Stars into the playoffs. They need improved goaltending and defensive work to be a factor in the race. The Stars expect Oduya to have a stabilizing impact on the blue line and are convinced their goaltending will be sharper.

What advanced stats say: C Tyler Seguin led the NHL with 3.33 points per 60 minutes of playing time, and LW Jamie Benn was eighth at 3.19.

Breakthrough candidate: Nichushkin, 20, was limited to eight games last season by injury and projects to be a 20-goal scorer this season. He netted 14 goals as a rookie two seasons ago. It’s not unthinkable that he could score 25 to 30, depending upon how coach Lindy Ruff sets up his lines and power play. Nichushkin fit well with Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky in four games at the end of the season.

Youngster to watch: Johns, 23, was an important element of the trade with the Blackhawks. He’s 6-4, 220, and if he had not been injured, he might have been in Chicago’s third pairing. The Stars have penciled him in to play this season. The Stars’ best prospect is D Julius Honka, and he might be ready to step in at some point.

What the team really needs: They need to win now. The Stars have missed the playoffs six of the past seven seasons. They need to send a message to fans that they are permanently heading in the right direction. Improved defensive play is crucial. If the younger defensemen can’t step up, the Stars will have to acquire a veteran.

Key question: Shouldn’t we expect more than 32 points out of Hemsky? Absolutely. He had 43 points the season before, and he should be closer to 50 playing with Spezza. But it should be noted that he had two points in his first 18 games last season, and then 30 points in his last 58 games. In other words, over the final 70% of the season he scored at the same pace he did the season before. With Sharp and Nichushkin in the lineup, his numbers should be up.

Forecast: The stars are aligned for Dallas to make the playoffs. What happens after that will depending on defense and goaltending.