Breaking Down the Game of Detroit's Moritz Seider

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The German superstar has established himself as one of the best defensemen in the entire NHL. Seider, the 2022 NHL Rookie of the Year. 

 First and foremost, the Detroit Red Wings acquired Seider, 6th overall, during the 2019 NHL Draft. Many saw this as a poor selection, as Seider was ranked to go in the late first round. But boy, were people wrong!
 
Ever since being selected by Detroit, Seider has been a superstar for every single team he has played with. The German native played the 2019-20 season in the AHL. He played solid minutes for a very poor Grand Rapids team. As an 18-year-old, Seider did not look outmatched, playing against other high-level talents.
 
The following season, the Red Wings would loan Seider out to play for Rogle BK of the SHL. Once again, the 19-year-old would dominate defensively, playing a big role.


This brings us back to the 2021-22 season, when Seider entered his rookie year with the Detroit Red Wings. Seider played heavy minutes with the team; he averaged 23:02 minutes of ice-time per night. The German native played a big role on Detroit's backend on the power play and penalty kill.
 
Seider recorded seven goals and 43 assists in 82 games.
 
Now let's break down why Seider is such a commanding player! First, we have to start with the fundamentals of his game. Seider is a great skater. Standing at approximately 6'4'', Seider has a long, smooth stride. His skating is key in his game, as he puts himself in great positions to make a hit or provide offense.
 
Then we can get to his strong, physical defensive play. Seider has definitely taken inspiration from Niklas Kronwall. He is a beast on the ice. He weighs in at 197 pounds. Seider isn't afraid to play the body or get into scrums. His strength outmatched his opponents, and he turned games around with a big hit. His core and upper-body strength are phenomenal.
The Wings often utilize their star on the penalty kill. Seider is able to produce offensively on the PK, as shown by his two shorthanded apples. He also blocked 15 shots on the penalty kill.
 
While playing with the puck, Seider is strong both in the neutral and offensive zone. He isn't a player that will be stripped of the puck or create many turnovers. He overpowers his opponents and makes good offensive-minded plays. He won't be a point-per-game player, but he can be lethal on the power play.
 
On the power play, the d-man likes to utilize his shot. He took a total of 52 shots from the point and scored twice. He also has a 57.3% shot through metric.


To sum up Seider, he is a player that will dominate the NHL for the next decade. His strength and physicality are simply elite. However, he also has an offensive side to his game, which allows him to take on more roles and gain points.