Chiarelli On Seguin: 'He's Got To Commit And Focus'
BOSTON (CBS) - It was a shaky 2012-13 season for Tyler Seguin, and over the weekend rumors broke that the Boston Bruins were listening to offers for young forward.
No deal was reached, as Boston sat out the first round of the NHL Draft this weekend, but it's clear that the Bruins would like the 21-year-old to pick up his game after a disappointing third season in the NHL.
Just ask GM Peter Chiarelli.
"He's got to commit his mind and focus to the one task at hand," Chiarelli said of Seguin over the weekend. "He's got to become more of a professional. You know what? I can say that about a lot of 21-year-olds."
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Seguin scored 16 goals and finished the lockout-shortened season with 32 points -- tied for third on the team -- but scored just one goal in 22 playoff games and found himself on Boston's third line by the Stanley Cup Final.
"I know he got criticized for playing on the periphery and all that stuff. He did. He's got to commit to being a professional and focusing on the game," added Chiarelli. "Simple as that. He does that, we don't expect him to be crashing and banging. Just play your game."
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Chiarelli also added that he hopes the recent trade talk will be a bit of a wakeup call for Seguin.
"I hope it does. If it doesn't, I'd be more concerned," said Chiarelli. "We gave Tyler a big contract because he projects and he had good performance. I would expect that going forward."
With Nathan Horton telling the Bruins he will test the free agent waters and a return by the top-line forward unlikely, the pressure will be on Seguin to help fill the void, as he enters the first year of a six-year extension he signed with Boston last summer.
