Player Profile: Moritz Seider

Moritz Seider was born in Zell, Germany on April sixth, 2001. Seider played youth hockey for EHC Erfurt’s U16 team during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons as a 13 and 14 year-old. In 43 games played during these two seasons, Seider scored 26 goals and added 31 assists as a defenseman. Where would Seider play hockey as he began his journey to playing hockey at the professional level?

Moritz Seider had two highly acclaimed seasons prior to the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Seider had two excellent seasons prior to being draft eligible. Jungadler Mannheim’s U19 team was back-to-back DNHL champions for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons with Seider on the roster. In 14 games for Mannheim during the 2016-17 season, Seider scored six goals and added seven assists. The Zell, Germany native’s success continued during the 2018-19 season. Adler Mannheim won the DEL championship and Seider was voted rookie of the year.

Additionally, Seider excelled at the U20 World Junior Championships. In five games as captain for Germany Seider scored one goal and added six assists. Seider had seven points, the most points by a defender, and the best plus/minus at plus-eight. These statistics led him to being voted the best player on his team and best player at the tournament. The head coach for Germany Tobias Abstreiter was surprised that Seider was only seen as a top-15 draft pick going into his draft year.

In 2018-19, Seider’s success continued. He was a DEL Champion with Adler Mannheim while being voted Rookie of the Year, as well. On the international stage, he excelled at the U20 World Junior Championship (D1A) again. On top of winning a gold medal, he had the most points by a defender (seven), had the best plus/minus (plus-eight), was voted best player on his team and Best Defender in the tournament.

Moritz Seider was drafted sixth overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Moritz Seider was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Seider is 6’2” and 211 lbs., becoming the first German defenseman to be selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. At the time of his draft, Seider was seen as a one of the most NHL-ready defensemen going into the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

“I was surprised that he (was) a player with that kind of skill already with his age,” Abstreiter recalled of that tournament. “His confident game. I was very excited about him. … I was very surprised that he is already that far (along) — like a good poise on the ice, good poise with the puck, and good, confident play without the puck as well. It was extraordinary for me to see a young player with this kind of performance.”

That did not mean that Seider saw himself being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings and Seider’s reaction to being drafted went viral because no one saw this draft pick coming. “Honestly, it was a shock for me, too,” Seider said. The former general manager of the Detroit Red Wings Steve Yzerman hit a home run on this draft pick. NHL Central Scouting ranked Seider as the sixth best skater going into this draft.

“We think we got an excellent prospect,” Yzerman said on June 22, 2019. “Somebody who will really fit into what we’re doing and that our fanbase will really enjoy watching.” However, the Red Wings’ defensive corps aside from Seider was lacking. The top defensive pair for the Red Wings prior to Seider being drafted were Danny Dekeyser going into his second season in the NHL and Trevor Daley.

Moritz Seider has historic first game for the Detroit Red Wings

It turns out that Yzerman was correct in this assessment. In his first season with the Red Wings, Moritz Seider did something that was unthinkable. Not only did he make the opening night roster on October 14^th, 2021, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Seider recorded two assists in this game, becoming the first Detroit skater with multiple assists in his NHL debut since Vyacheslav Kozlov did so on March 12, 1992, at St. Louis. Was this just one night for Seider or would he be able to keep this level of play up throughout an 82-game NHL season?

Moritz Seider did something for the Detroit Red Wings in his first season that had not been accomplished in more than 50 years. After playing in all 82 games during the 2021-22 season, Seider won the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year. “It’s crazy,” Seider said. “Obviously, I’m very thankful and honored to be awarded with this trophy. I’m very happy to bring something back to Detroit.” The last Detroit Red Wing to win the Calder Trophy was goaltender Roger Crozier How would Seider follow this award-winning season?

During his second season as a Detroit Red Wing, Seider played in all 82 games during the 2022-23 season. In those 82 games, Seider scored five goals and added 37 assists.

The defensive workload has not hindered Seider, though. Seider has not missed an NHL game in the six seasons that he has played with the Red Wings. This is despite being tasked with defending against the opposing team’s top offensive line night in and night out. The Red Wings signed Seider to a seven-year, $59.85 million contract with an average annual value of $.855 million in September of 2024.

What is next for Moritz Seider and the Detroit Red Wings?

The former captain of the Detroit Red Wings Dylan Larkin asked for a trade during the offseason. Recently, Larkin gave a press conference in which he attempted to explain his decision to ask for a trade. Larkin declined to answer whether he had rescinded his trade request. The Red Wings have stripped the Waterford, Michigan native of his captaincy as training camp was set to begin. Speculation has risen that Seider could be named the next captain of the Detroit Red Wings.