Every year, The Athletic releases its ten best and worst contracts in the NHL. In the past, names like Detroit Red WIngs defenseman Ben Chiarot or forward Justin Abdelkader have appeared on the latter.
This time around, things are a little different.
In this year's edition, Dom Luszczyszyn ranked defenseman Moritz Seider as the fifth-best contract in the NHL.
Dom's advanced analytics model juxtaposes player contributions with contract value in order to determine their net rating. Seider's production last season, with 60 points in 82 games, coupled with his defensive acumen, gave the Red Wings $16.7M in value -- more than double Seider's $8.6M salary.
Seider's explosive season
Seider was one of the top defensemen in the NHL last season, earning Norris Trophy votes for his outstanding performance in the face of the toughest minutes in the league.
"When the Red Wings signed Mortiz Seider to this contract, his impacts in brutally tough minutes weren’t yet lining up with his reputation," the article begins. "Account for that and he was good, but not truly great. Not yet. All of that changed two seasons ago, and last year he took his game to new heights with a two-way season for the ages. While he didn’t ultimately end up with a plus-10 Offensive and Defensive Rating thanks to a tough final game, Seider came the closest any defenseman ever has."
Had the season not ended with that brutal 8-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, Seider would've earned the highest offense and defense rating a defenseman has ever earned in Dom's model. What makes this deal especially good in Dom's eyes is that, had he played above average at either offense or defense, he'd be worth his $8.6M salary. The fact that he's playing at the level he has at both ends of the ice is what makes him particularly special.
Where Seider can go from here
For the 25-year-old Seider, the sky's the limit. If future projections are any indication, he's going to earn at least a few considerations at captain next season. Once soon-to-be-former captain Dylan Larkin is moved, the Red Wings will become Seider's team. He's shown he's more than capable of living up to those lofty expectations, having performed well, well above his draft projections.
Next season, he'll have a full year with partner Simon Edvinsson and an improved depth chart with Ben Chiarot, Justin Faulk, Albert Johansson and either Jacob Bernard-Docker or Axel Sandin-Pellikka on the bottom pairing. This time around, he won't have to bear the burden of defense on his own. That, in turn, will allow him to produce more offensively and get more aggressive, playing to his strengths.
Every year, Seider improves -- and every year, his contract gets better.
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