Detroit Red Wings fans have had plenty to chew on with the Dylan Larkin situation, and it’s easy to see why the whole thing has left the organization feeling unsettled. But there’s a bigger reason to keep the temperature down in Detroit: Moritz Seider.
Seider has moved himself into the conversation with the NHL’s top defensemen, finishing fifth in Norris Trophy voting this season and landing among names like Zach Werenski, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, and Rasmus Dahlin. More than that, he’s showing the kind of leadership that can steady a team when the noise around it gets loud.
In a recent interview in The Athletic, Seider was asked about the Larkin situation and how he plans to handle it.
“Those are definitely things no player should be asked or should talk about,” he said. “I’m very good in the background.
I do my job, I’m very excited about next year and wearing the winged wheel again, but those are things for our owner. I think he probably has a plan in place, and I’ll be very pleased to meet the new leader of our franchise once he is selected.”
The remarks, made on the sidelines of the NHL’s European Media Tour, say plenty about the 25-year-old’s approach. He isn’t interested in politics or in choosing sides. His focus stays on hockey, and that’s where Detroit needs him.
Seider also made clear he understands the bigger picture for the Red Wings heading into 2026-27.
“You should always aim for the stars,” he said. “If you don’t want to play with the best, you’re never going to get there, and if you’re satisfied with the season you had, well, good luck.
Then it’s going to be a long way. You always should look ahead and see what’s next.”
That’s the mindset Detroit has to carry now. The team has already been through enough, and there’s only one direction left to go. The Red Wings are hoping the work done this offseason gives them a real chance to take another step.
They do have one of the strongest prospect pipelines in the NHL, which is why a couple of smart depth additions could make a real difference. Add a few important veterans to that young talent, and Detroit could push its way back into the Eastern Conference playoff mix.
Maybe that doesn’t happen this season. But the sense around the team is that it should come sooner rather than later. Patience is thinning in Detroit, and the rebuild needs to keep moving.
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The Red Wings have spent the summer trying to steady themselves after a jolt that changed the organizations direction, with Steve Yzerman moved out of the general manager chair on July 15 and into a senior adviser role. Against that backdrop, the situation around captain Dylan Larkin has only deepened the sense of unease, leaving Detroit dealing with questions that reach beyond one roster spot and into the larger identity of the franchise.
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Now the next step is Michigan, where Hurlbert will begin his college hockey career with a longer runway to round out the rest of his game. The scoring touch is the easy part to see, but the Red Wings know the rest will take time, especially on the defensive and physical side, and his path to the NHL could still stretch a few years from now. [Read more 🡒]