This scoring stretch is changing how fans see Moritz Seider

Moritz Seider scored 50 points and seven goals during his Calder-winning 2021-22 campaign, and he hasn't cracked the 50-point mark since. Seider has come close, with 42 points in 2022-23 and in 2023-24, before he notched 46 in 2024-25. It seemed like Seider regressed into a solid but unspectacular point producer whose game primarily focused on defense.

His defensive statistics also didn't lie, with 200-plus hits over the past three seasons and 181-plus blocks. Seider has solidified his presence as one of the top defense-first blueliners in hockey, but he's also been reminding fans he's not a stay-at-home defenseman.

Through 29 games this season, Seider has 22 points and four goals, putting him on pace for a 62-point, 11-goal campaign. Both would be career-highs for Seider, but his recent productivity outburst could put him on track for something more. His numbers since Nov. 13 have been some of the best among all NHL defensemen. 

If Seider keeps this up, the 62-point, 11-goal projection listed above could be the baseline. Should Seider keep performing at over a point-per-game pace, as he has done in the previous 13 games, he could be looking at 70-plus points, which may be enough for serious Norris Trophy consideration. 

Moritz Seider is finally able to showcase more of his offensive skill-set for the Detroit Red Wings

One reason for Seider's success is that the Red Wings' blue line is starting to take form. In previous seasons, Seider, at times, had little help from teammates. Ben Chiarot may have been the only other viable defenseman in Detroit in 2024-25, meaning it was up to Seider to hold things together.

While the blue line is still a work in progress, Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson are now veterans. Johansson is still struggling, with a minus-13 rating and three points. Edvinsson has picked up his play, getting in front of shots, landing body checks, and displaying more offensive output with nine points and three goals in 26 contests.

Edvinsson has also helped create more scoring opportunities for the Wings with a 54.4 Corsi For percentage, and may be a year away from a breakout season. 

Axel Sandin-Pellikka is still going through growing pains, but he has also shown flashes that he is the player the Red Wings thought they were getting when they drafted him in 2023. Jacob Bernard-Docker has also stepped up as a solid third-pairing blueliner in a supplementary role.

With the blue line still an unfinished product but looking better than it has in years past, it's freeing Seider to do more offensively. With a younger defensive rotation in place, and one that's poised to keep getting better, look for Moritz Seider to benefit more than anyone else. 

It's one reason why his points total is trending north, so don't be surprised if Seider keeps up his high-octane pace when the Wings' defensive unit meshes as the season wears on.