Dallas Stars Stun The NHL By Sending Star Center Tyler Seguin To Eastern Conference Powerhouse In Blockbuster Trade Proposal

Tyler Seguin of Dallas Stars looking on.Tyler Seguin (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill has never been afraid to swing for the fences, as evidenced by the Tyler Seguin blockbuster trade he pulled off with the Boston Bruins in his first year at the helm.

Nill made a win-now move for Tyler Seguin after the No. 2 pick of 2010 fell out of favor in Boston. That was just one of several significant moves by Nill that helped Dallas emerge as a powerhouse in the Western Conference, highlighted by three trips to the Western Conference Final (2020, 2023 and 2014) and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2020.

The Stars have not indicated that they’re looking to move Seguin, who is signed through 2026-27 with a $9.85 million cap hit. But with plenty of scoring depth and a need for one more shutdown defenseman, the Stars should actually see if they can move out Seguin in a pure “hockey trade.”

Seguin put up over 70 points in each of his first six seasons with the Stars, but he hasn’t tallied more than 52 points in a single campaign since 2020-21. So it’s rather evident that a change of scenery would benefit the 2011 Stanley Cup champion.

The Tampa Bay Lightning stand out as a logical landing spot for Tyler Seguin for multiple reasons. For starters, they could use more scoring after losing franchise icon Steven Stamkos to the Nashville Predators in free agency.

Secondly, the Lightning are loaded with quality defensemen. That should entice Nill and the Stars to make a blockbuster deal, with Seguin going to Tampa Bay in a win-win move for all parties.

What Lightning Should Offer Stars For Tyler Seguin

Tampa Bay should offer shutdown defenseman Erik Cernak, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick to Dallas for Seguin. In order to make the dollars work, Dallas would have to retain some of the remaining money on Seguin’s deal.

That should be no issue for Nill, who clears out a good portion of a heavy contract while getting another quality defenseman and two early-round picks. If anything else, he could use those selections in separate blockbuster deals.

As for the Lightning, they get another playmaking center to replace Stamkos. A forward group of Seguin, Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov puts Tampa that much closer to winning a third Stanley Cup this decade.