One blueliner has been the Red Wings MVP through the first month of the season

As Dylan Larkin is certainly doing all he can to keep the Red Wings afloat, it’s true that he’s one of the team’s more valuable players. Some may even say he’s the most valuable, and if that’s the case, they’re certainly not far off, considering his overall productivity, especially in the goal-scoring realm, in which he’s currently up to eight on the year. 

Yet the actual MVP, at this point, might not be Larkin, but instead defenseman Moriz Seiter. Sure, this is a debatable topic, but Seiter has once again proved himself as a playmaker in the offensive zone through October and the first week of November.

So far, he’s recorded one goal and seven helpers, good for eight points in 12 games, a plus-3 rating, 30 blocks, and 40 hits. He’s also averaging an incredible 24.14 of average total ice time, more than any skater on the team by nearly three minutes. 

Overall, Seider has epitomized not just playmaking ability; he’s also once again showing off incredible endurance. No, he’s not an over-50 Corsi For player, but he’s also in the offensive zone for just 41.2 percent of his starts. He’s also second on the team (minimum 11 games played) in percentage of shots that have gone through to the net with 54.8.

Moritz Seider should be the Red Wings MVP after Month 1

At even strength, Seider currently has an on-ice shooting percentage of 12.5, meaning he’s been a pivotal part in the Red Wings scoring when they decide to take shots. Overall, there are plenty of reasons why Seider should be considered Detroit’s top player at the moment, and the numbers shared above are just a sliver of why that’s the case.

That said, there are others who also drew serious consideration before I crafted this article, with Lucas Raymond serving as Seider’s top contender. Raymond may have just one goal and a 5.3 shooting percentage, but he’s been quite the playmaker himself and is leading the team with 12 points in 12 games. 

Alex DeBrincat has also brought his A-Game, with six goals and 11 points, plus an incredible 25.0 shooting percentage. But when it comes to measuring players’ overall games in all three zones, it’s hard to argue against Seider, so he’s taking the No. 1 spot in these rankings as we dive deeper into November. 

Will anyone surpass him? Hey, Larkin, Raymond, and DeBrincat should approach midseason form this month, so Seider will have some serious competition.