Red Wings defenseman on pace for career year

The Detroit Red Wings find themselves are currently one point back of the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot with 12 games to go. At this point, the Red Wings are going to need their stars to be at their best in order to qualify for the playoffs.

One of those stars is defenseman Moritz Seider, who quietly is on his way to a career year on Detroit's back end. Through 70 games this season, the 24-year-old has recorded nine goals and 39 assists to go along with a plus-minus rating of plus-20. He's had to do it all with an inconsistent blue line, a rash of injuries to the roster and an offense that's struggling to get it going.

Seider's offensive prowess

Seider, the former sixth overall draft pick in 2019, took the league by storm during his rookie season in 2021-22, taking home the Calder Trophy for the NHL’s best rookie. That season, Seider scored seven goals and added 43 assists, good for the team lead in assists and most points for any defenseman. 

The following years saw Seider record 42, 42, 46 and 48 points, leading all defensemen in points, save for the 2023-24 season when Shayne Gostisbehere recorded 56. Seider’s nine goals this season tie his season high in 2023-24. While he isn't leaping off the page offensively like other star defenders, his impact on a low-scoring offense is clearly noticeable.

With 12 games remaining and Seider playing in all situations, the Red Wings’ number one defenseman is on his way to a career high in almost every offensive category. 

Seider's Norris-caliber defense

Seider remains the workhorse of the Red Wings’ defensive unit. The season, the German-born defenseman has recorded an average ice time of 25:35 minutes per game. This average is his highest on record and puts him fourth in the NHL in ATOI. He joins star defensemen like Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski in eating up the most minutes in the NHL.

Additionally, Seider leads the Red Wings with 154 blocked shots. He has 11 more blocks than the next best Red Wing on the roster (Ben Chiarot) and is fifth in the league in blocked shots. To top it all off, he's already recorded 106 blocks on the season. He consistently makes it difficult for the opposition on any given night.

While it isn't necessarily indicative of a good player, Seider's plus-minus rating of plus-20 stands out when you consider Detroit's goal differential. The Red Wings currently hold a -2 goal differential, so Seider's high marks in this category show his ability to keep the puck out of the Red Wings' net. To make matters even more interesting, the flashy defender is receiving both Norris and Hart consideration from journalists around the NHL.

Dominance on the world stage

During the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Seider represented Germany, helping lead them to a 1-2 record and third-place finish in the group stage. In five games, Seider recorded two assists and was a plus-two. 

Like the Red Wings, the Germans had a negative goal differential at the Olympics, and Seider kept himself on the positive side. Seider’s prowess was highlighted in Germany’s 6-2 loss in the quarterfinals, when the Red Wings’ star played 27:48 and was even on the plus-minus front. Seider was the only NHL defenseman on Germany’s roster and gave them every chance he could to win. 

With 12 games remaining and the Red Wings desperate for wins, Seider’s finish to the regular season could be the difference between breaking the playoff drought or not in Hockeytown.