Stars News and Notes: Opportunity knocks for Segal
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page
There's an old saying that goes something like this: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. When it came it to making a first impression in a Dallas Stars uniform, right wing Brandon Segal made the most of it.
Segal, plucked off waivers from Los Angeles on February 11, played in the Stars' final game before the Olympic break two days later, picking up one goal and one assist in a 3-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.
"He was arguably our best player in that game. Without Marty Turco and Brandon Segal in that game, I don't know if we win," said Stars coach Marc Crawford. "He scored a nice goal, he went to the net every time very well. He was very strong with the puck and he protected the puck down low very well. He made the great play on the [Toby] Petersen goal."
Segal played 10:15 in that game and along with the goal and an assist he added a plus-two rating, two hits and was named the game's number two star.
"When you can get in the lineup and create an impact right away it's always nice and it always feels good," Segal said after practice this weekend in Frisco. "To get a goal and an assist was pretty exciting."
Segal is now just starting to settle in with the Stars. He was picked up just a couple days before the break, played one game and then everybody split for the break. He arrived in the Dallas area on Wednesday as the Stars prepared to kick off a mini-camp to get ready for the stretch drive.
"Everything happened so fast. One day I was in Los Angeles and the next day I am going to Phoenix to play a game and then the Olympic break," he said. "It was kind of a whirlwind, but things have worked out pretty well. It was a good game in Phoenix and definitely nice to get the break.
"It seems like a pretty good fit here so far and I'm going forward from here on."
Crawford obviously liked what he saw of Segal in that Phoenix game, and he likes what he's seen during the mini-camp the Stars have been holding the last few days.
"He had a pretty good first outing. When you have a first good outing it's a great way to come in," said Crawford. "He's been good here in practice. Right now his freshness and his attitude are infectious for our guys. We'll need more guys to bring energy and to bring that good attitude to the rink every day."
Segal played 25 games with the Kings, picking up one goal and one assist. When Los Angeles put him on waivers, the word from the Kings was that they were looking for more consistency from the 26-year-old forward.
Crawford thinks consistency can come with opportunity and there is opportunity in Dallas for Segal, who has some qualities the Stars like, including the fact that he is a right shot.
"I think for players at the NHL level it's opportunity. I think if they are given a consistent opportunity there's not a great deal of difference between your 8th and 14th forward. The 8th forward gets more opportunity," Crawford said. "Sometimes he gets it because there's trust issues with the coach or because there's a subtle difference with his game. Maybe he's a great skater or a great defensive player. For Brandon, the subtleties of his game are his puck protection skills, his size and the fact, for us, that he's a right shot. We don't have a lot of those."
Segal, a fourth round pick of Nashville in 2002, made his NHL debut last season in Tampa Bay, playing in two games. He had a good long run with the Kings and is hoping to build on that in Dallas.
"Bring energy and get in on the forecheck, control the puck, be a big body down low and create some space for my linemates," Segal said. "I've got to make sure I am going out there every night and playing my game and not getting away from it. It's a matter of staying focused each and every game and every shift."
Stars Notes
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Defenseman Mark Fistric (knee) did not practice Sunday due to soreness. He is expected to practice on Monday.
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Forward Loui Eriksson and defenseman Karlis Skrastins, who have not practiced with the team the last three days due to the Olympics, are scheduled to practice with the team Monday. Forwards Brenden Morrow and Jere Lehtinen are scheduled to return from their Olympic stints on Tuesday.
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The NHL's trade freeze comes to an Sunday night at 10:59 pm (CT). The NHL trade deadline is Wednesday March 3 at 2 pm (CT).
