Moritz Seider’s start has been easy to miss if you’re only skimming the Red Wings’ headline-making moments, but his impact has been front and center every night he’s on the ice.
The Detroit defenseman has five assists in eight games this season, yet that total barely scratches the surface of what he’s giving the club. With the Red Wings sitting at 3-3-2, Seider has been one of the main reasons they’re still hanging around the edges of the Atlantic Division.
A lot of the early conversation has centered elsewhere. Dylan Larkin and his issues have drawn plenty of attention, while Alex DeBrincat’s massive contract extension naturally became a major talking point.
Beyond that, the rest of the roster has done enough to keep Detroit afloat. All of that has helped Seider slip into the background for anyone not paying close attention.
But that’s often how it goes with players who are doing everything right.
No one ever pays attention to things when they’re working well. If the trains run on schedule, nobody seems to notice. That’s the case of Moritz Seider.
His game is built on the kind of reliability that rarely makes noise. He isn’t piling up glaring mistakes, coughing up egregious giveaways, taking boneheaded penalties or getting caught in defensive breakdowns. That’s a big part of why he looks like a superstar.
The workload tells the story, too. Seider is averaging 17:32 of 5v5 ice time, while adding a little over four minutes on the power play and more than two minutes on the penalty kill. That comes out to roughly 23 minutes per game, the kind of all-situations responsibility that very few defensemen can handle.
Most top blueliners lean heavily to one side of the puck or the other. The rare elite group, the likes of Zach Werenski and Cale Makar, can influence everything. Seider belongs in that conversation.
Detroit’s need for him has only grown. With Simon Edvinsson not playing, the Red Wings are asking even more of Seider than they did a season ago, and he’s carrying that load.
That’s why the case for a Norris Trophy nomination is there if voters are paying attention. Forget about Evan Bouchard and his offensive numbers. Being the NHL’s best defenseman isn’t about scoring to the detriment of actually playing defense.
Moritz Seider is the quintessential all-around blueliner. It’s too bad he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.
In Other News...
Red Wings Rally Showed Fight But Exposed A Bigger Problem
The Red Wings left Climate Pledge Arena with a point and plenty to like about their third-period push, even if the end result still felt like one that slipped away. Down by three heading into the final period, Detroit battled back enough to force overtime and eventually a shootout, extending its run to five straight games with at least one point and moving to 3-3-3 on the season.
The comeback was fueled by a pair of key moments that should matter to the locker room, including Lucas Raymond finally getting on the board and Alex DeBrincat reaching a major career milestone while helping drag the game back to level. Still, the bigger concern for Detroit is how often it is having to chase from behind in the first place, because the rally was impressive but it also underscored how much work remains before these points start feeling routine instead of salvaged. [Read more 🡒]
Henrik Zetterbergs Jersey Retirement Turned Into An Awkward Scene
Henrik Zetterbergs No. 20 jersey retirement at Timra was meant to be a celebratory night for the former Red Wings star, but the ceremony before a game against Bjrklven turned awkward almost immediately. A few visiting Bjrklven fans booed during the tribute, spoiling a moment that should have been centered on Zetterberg and his long run with the Swedish club that helped launch his career.
The embarrassment did not stop there, since Timra also had to acknowledge a mistake on Zetterbergs banner tied to the 2004-05 season, which it blamed on a supplier error. Bjrklven later issued an apology, and the fallout even reached the business side when a sponsor withdrew support from the clubs supporters group, a harsh reminder of how quickly a tribute can turn into a problem. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin Trade Talks Just Got More Real For Red Wings Fans
Dylan Larkins name has stayed in the middle of the Red Wings conversation, but the latest reporting suggests the possibilities around him may be widening. With trade discussions reportedly gaining momentum and some insiders pointing to a deal in the near future, the situation has moved from background noise to something Detroit fans have to watch closely as the process develops.
One notable wrinkle is the scope of the list Larkin has reportedly expanded, which hints at a much broader market than a simple two-team discussion. It also leaves out Montreal, a detail sure to register with anyone following the rumor mill, especially with interest around the Canadiens having lingered for some time. For the Red Wings, the next stretch could determine whether this remains speculation or turns into a major roster shakeup. [Read more 🡒]