In this edition of our 2023-24 Philadelphia Flyers player grading series, we take a look at 30-year-old defenseman Nick Seeler. He has had a wild journey in the NHL, stepping away from the game in 2020-21, but he has seemingly found himself a home in the City of Brotherly Love. What grade does he deserve for his most recent campaign?
Seeler Takes the Next Step in His Career
Seeler’s 2022-23 campaign was a breakout for him, yet he only had an average time on ice (ATOI) of 14:29 – just three seconds off from the highest total of his career. Entering his age-30 campaign in 2023-24, he only had 225 contests of NHL experience to his name.
Regardless of his status as not much more than a depth defender, he took strides to become a true NHL defenseman for the Orange and Black in 2022-23. He had a team-best 2.26 expected goals against per 60 (xGA/60) and a third-best expected goals percentage (xGF%) of 51.6 among players with at least 500 minutes of ice time.
Seeler was one of the few bright spots for Philadelphia that season, but whether or not he could sustain this play was uncertain. It’s not rare for a depth player to suddenly have a good campaign and then never return to that level. For the veteran defender, that could not have been further from the case.
Instead of having a rather limited third-pairing role for the Flyers, Seeler was a common fixture on the second pair. Some players might not be able to handle this increase in responsibility, but for Seeler, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to him.
He worked his magic with Sean Walker to the tune of a 55.9 xGF% by his side. Out of the 104 defensive pairings that played at least 300 minutes, they ranked 11th in xGF%. It wasn’t for their shutdown abilities, either – they ironically graded out better offensively. Seeler, an excellent defensive defenseman, was the perfect complement to Walker who did a lot of his best work in the neutral and offensive zones. They made for an amazing duo, but unfortunately, they were separated after the trade deadline.
Among the 145 defensemen who played at least 1,000 minutes at even strength, Seeler ranked 33rd in individual xGA/60 and 24th in xGF%. Though he only had an even-strength ATOI of 14:53–the 14th-lowest mark of these players–what he was able to accomplish was impressive. As a career depth defender, he took on the most difficult role during his time in the NHL and flourished. He has officially taken the next step.
Seeler’s Extension & How it Affects the Future
For Seeler’s excellence, he was extended to a four-year, $2.7 million average annual value deal on March 6, 2024. With back-to-back seasons of great play, it’s hard to say that it wasn’t deserved. He is a tough-as-nails defender who will put his body on the line for anything.
That last point could end up being an issue, though. He loves to block shots, so much so that he had 205 on the season. Despite missing 11 games due to injury–of course, from blocking a shot–he ranked fifth in the NHL in the stat. Durability might end up being an issue playing such a physically demanding role, and that’s especially the case for a player in his 30s.
With the downside out of the way, Seeler gives the Flyers nastiness in a great way. He is both great at what he does and is an energy player. When the Flyers went down 5-1 in a game against the Detroit Red Wings, he had a fight, got an instigator penalty, and lost his mind at the officials for that extra minor. He got ejected as a result, but it served as a subtle spark that eventually helped the Flyers take a 6-5 lead.
That comeback might mostly be a coincidence, but the level of energy he brings no matter the score says a lot about him as an athlete. He bleeds hockey, and it is an amazing thing to watch on a game-by-game basis. Whether or not a rebuilding team should be extending their veterans, his case is unique.
Seeler’s Final Grade
While Seeler didn’t quite go up against the toughest competition, his great results are undeniable. He is one of the best pure shutdown defenders the Flyers have had to offer in quite some time, so he earned a B-plus grade for his efforts. In 2024-25 and beyond, hopefully, he can help with the development of some young players, namely Jamie Drysdale.
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