Preview: Detroit begins short road trip tonight in Minnesota

The Detroit Red Wings play the first of a two game mini road trip tonight when they travel to play the Minnesota Wild.  This game was initially postponed in December and is the first of two games between the clubs this year.

Minnesota currently have a 12 game home point streak and are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.

Game time today is 8:00 PM ET at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN.

 Player Focus: Moritz Seider

Moritz Seider has been an outstanding addition to the Detroit lineup this season.  Not only is he the best defenseman on the Red Wings, but he is currently the top scoring defenseman on the Red Wings roster.  Currently, Seider averages 22:42 TOI and plays in all situations for Detroit.

In 49 games, Seider has five goals, 27 assists, 32 points, and an even +/- rating.  This places him 1st overall in rookie defense scoring and third overall in rookie scoring.  Seider is also 13th in scoring for all NHL defensemen.

Seider is currently in the 1st year of his three-year entry-level contract with Detroit.  He is currently earning $863,333 and will become a RFA at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Red Wings Notes

• Detroit are currently 5th in the Atlantic Division with a 22-21-6 record
• The Red Wings special teams are currently ranked 23rd in the NHL, PP 16.5%, PK 78.2%
• Dylan Larkin leads Detroit with 24 goals and 49 points in 44 games
• Moritz Seider leads the Red Wings with 27 assists in 49 games
• Seider leads all Detroit defensemen in scoring with five goals 32 points
• Tyler Bertuzzi continues to lead the Red Wings with a +11 rating
• Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to start and has a 14-13-5 record, 2.91 GAA, and .910 SV% in 35 games
• Defenseman Nick Leddy appears ready to return to the lineup
• Forward Valdislav Namestnikov is questionable for tonight and will be replaced by Gemel Smith in the lineup

Detroit Projected Lineup

Forwards

Filip Zadina – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond

Robby Fabbri – Pius Suter – Tyler Bertuzzi

Joe Veleno – Michael Rasmussen – Adam Erne

Givani Smith – Gemel Smith – Sam Gagner

Defensemen

Danny DeKeyser – Moritz Seider

Marc Staal – Troy Stecher

Nick Leddy – Gustav Lindstrom

Goaltenders

Alex Nedeljkovic (starter)

Thomas Greiss

Not in lineup

Riley Barber (lower body), Carter Rowney (undisclosed), Filip Hronek (Covid-19), Vladislav Namestnikov (undisclosed), Jordan Oesterle (healthy)

Wild Notes

• Minnesota is currently 2nd in the Central Division with a 29-11-3 record
• The Wild special teams are currently ranked 18th in the NHL, PP 19.2%, PK 80.1%
• Kirill Kaprizov is 10th in NHL scoring and leads Minnesota with 20 goals, 34 assists, and 54 points in 42 games
• Alex Goligoski leads all Wild defensemen in scoring with 25 points
• Ryan Hartman is 4th in the NHL and leads Minnesota with a +33 rating
• Backup goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen is expected to start and has a 10-3-2 record, 2.44 GAA, and a .924 SV% in 17 games

Minnesota Projected Lineup

Forwards   

Kirill Kaprizov – Ryan Hartman – Mats Zuccarello

Kevin Fiala – Frederick Gaudreau – Matthew Boldy

Jordan Greenway – Joel Eriksson Ek – Brandon Duhaime

Victor Rask – Nico Sturm – Connor Dewar

Defensemen

Alex Goligoski – Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin – Mathew Dumba

Jon Merrill – Dmitry Kulikov

Goaltenders

Kaapo Kahkonen (starting)

Cam Talbot

Not in lineup

Jordie Benn (healthy), Marcus Foligno (healthy)