Updated 9x at 1:10 AM Saturday: The Detroit Red Wings selected Moritz Seider with the 6th overall pick in the NHL Draft on Friday, and here’s a bunch of information about him, starting with NHL.com’s prospect profile:
Seider was named Rookie of the Year in the DEL – Germany’s top men’s hockey league – in 2018-19 after the defenseman posted 2-4—6 in 29 games during the regular season and five assists in 14 postseason contests to help Mannheim capture the league championship.
• A member of back-to-back championship teams with Mannheim’s junior club in 2017 and 2018.
• Internationally, Seider skated for Team Germany at the 2019 World Championship where he scored twice in five games and captained his country to a gold medal at the 2019 World Junior Championship – Division 1, Group A where he was named Best Defenseman after leading all blueliners in points with 1-6—7 in five games.
• Models his style of play after Predators defenseman Roman Josi.
Seider is 6’3,” 208 pounds, and hails from Zell, Germany. He did play for Mannheim’s men’s team.
Here’s what the Athletic’s Corey Pronman had to say about the Wings’ pick (in part–I can’t post the entire subscriber-only commentary):
Team Fit: In Seider, the Wings get a player who a lot of teams were interested in and speculated may go in this range but weren’t 100 percent sure if would happen. NHL sources describe him as a bit of a mystery because of how little he played for his club team, but he impressed NHL folks a lot in international play, such as at the U20 B pool and the World Championship. It’s an aggresive play for me, especially since there are some questions on the offensive upside, but I know a lot of teams who were big believers in Seider. This will be one of the most fascinating picks of the past decade and one of the gutsiest. GM Steve Yzerman is known for making gutsy picks, selecting the injured Brett Connolly at sixth-overall, the tempermental Tony DeAngelo in the top 20 and goalie in Russia in Andrei Vasilevskiy in the first round.
Onto the beat writers:
- Quoth the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:
Detroit — D Moritz Seider (Addler Mannheim – DEL)
Well, this comes as quite a surprise. The run at defensemen wasn’t expected until a few picks down the road, but Steve Yzerman gets aggressive with his first selection at general manager and makes Seider the first German-born player to be drafted in the first round. At 6-4, 207, scouts have praised the combo of Seider’s hockey IQ and size.
Yzerman told NBCSN’s Kathryn Tappen, “Ultimately what we liked is a big defenseman who can skate, who has excellent hockey sense.”
2. From the Free Press’s Helene St. James:
At sixth overall in the 2019 NHL draft, the Detroit Red Wings picked German defenseman Moritz Seider at Rogers Arena.
Seider was rookie of the year in the DEL, Germany’s top men’s hockey league in 2018-19. He had six points in 29 games for Mannheim. He brings size at 6 feet 3 and 208 pounds, and shoots right. Moritz looked stunned to hear his name called so early.
It was the first pick with Steve Yzerman as general manager. Seider was ranked sixth among European skaters in final draft rankings. The Wings passed up several highly rated forwards — Dylan Cozens, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield — and the pick reflects the lack of defensemen depth in the organization.
3. MLive’s Ansar Khan:
He appeared in 29 games for Mannheim this past season, picking up two goals and four assists. He was named rookie of the year in the German league.
“He’s a very good prospect,” Yzerman said on NBC Sports Network. “We felt the top five kind of went somewhat as we expected, and this next group of players, including Moritz, they’re very good prospects. Ultimately, what we liked is he’s a a big defenseman who can skate and has excellent hockey sense.
“There’s a lot of players to choose from. It wasn’t a no-brainer, but we’re excited to get him.”
Seider was rated only sixth among Europen skaters in the final rankings by NHL Central Scouting, Most mock drafts did not project him to be selected in the top 10.
Also:
Steve Yzerman and his first draft pick as Red Wings GM, Moritz Seider
Photo: Getty pic.twitter.com/NB2fJfOB1o— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) June 22, 2019
At the most recent World Hockey Championship, I sat with Detroit coach Jeff Blashill and watched Germany play. A forward tried to take Moritz Seider wide, but he pivoted, closed the gap effortlessly and pinned the forward against the boards. Blashill had a huge grin on his face. https://t.co/ml2ndKhgyj— Gord Miller (@GMillerTSN) June 22, 2019
Welcome to #Hockeytown, Moritz!#DRWDraft | #LGRW pic.twitter.com/iLJjXTIumM— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
For the record, we had Seider at #5 overall so its good to know Stevie Y and I are on the same page.— NA Central Scouting (@MarkSeidel) June 22, 2019
Here’s NHL.com’s take:
Seider (6-3, 208), a right-handed shot, had an excellent rookie season for Mannheim in Germany’s top pro league. He had six points (two goals, four assists) and a plus-2 rating in 29 games and was named the league’s rookie of the year. He helped Mannheim win the league championship with five assists and a plus-6 rating in 14 playoff games. Seider had seven points (one goal, six assists) in five games to help Germany win the IIHF World Junior Championship Division IA bracket and advance to the top group at the 2020 World Junior Championship, where he likely will play a big role. He also scored two goals in five games for Germany at the 2019 World Championship.
NHL.com analysis: The first real surprise of the draft. Seider proved himself against men playing in Germany’s top league and was outstanding at 2019 IIHF World Championship. The Red Wings have been looking to add young defensemen, and with Seider they have a player with one of the bigger upsides in the 2019 Draft class.
RotoWire has also weighed in…
We knew Seider was on the rise, but no-one expected him to go sixth overall. That said, he could become the second most-valuable defender to emerge from the 2019 draft class. He’s that good. That won’t mean Seider will bring tremendous fantasy value. But he will be an elite number-two defender who shuts down opponents like stud Shark, Mark-Edouard Vlasic. Just three inches taller, 20 lbs heavier and a coveted right shot to boot. Seider’s impressive showing this season against men in the DEL and at the 2019 World Championship opened a lot of eyes to his potential. This good skater is going to have a long and very successful NHL career.
As has Michigan Hockey’s Michael Caples…
With his first selection as the general manager of the Original Six franchise he spent his entire playing career with, Steve Yzerman went a bit ‘off the board’ for his first pick.
At No. 6 overall, the Detroit Red Wings have selected German defenseman Moritz Seider.
He checks in at 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, and here’s what Elite Prospects had to say:
“Seider is a mobile and very smart two-way defenseman with few weaknesses. Plays a mature game with strong and consistent defensive decisions. Offensively, his vision allows him to be a very good passer and he is also good at getting his shot through.”
For the record, from EliteProspects:
Ranked #22 by THE ATHLETIC Ranked #10 by HOCKEYPROSPECT.COM Ranked #16 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS Ranked #17 by ISS HOCKEY Ranked #15 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY Ranked #6 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters) Ranked #18 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM Ranked #16 by TSN/McKenzie
NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman penned a profile of Seider from this year’s World Championship:
Seider (6-foot-3, 208 pounds), a right-shot defenseman, is No. 6 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of International prospects for the 2019 Draft.
“It’s his passing, his hockey sense and he’s very strong,” director of NHL European Scouting Goran Stubb said. “He’s not overly physical but he’s tough enough both along the boards and in front of the net. And his hockey sense is exceptional. … Never panics. Makes very smart decisions on the ice. He can shoot, pass and he’s a very good two-way player.”
Seider started the season as Mannheim’s youngest player at age 17 (he turned 18 on April 6). He had played four games with Mannheim last season, and Seider said that made his adjustment to a full season with and against older players far smoother.
“You always need a little bit of time, but the guys were awesome in Mannheim,” he said. “They take away so much pressure from myself. They say, ‘Come on buddy, just another game, you’re at the pros but play your game, play your style and you’ll be fine.’ That was one of the key moments, and there was a lot of good things.”
Seider had six points (two goals, four assists) in 29 games, the second-most points ever by an under-18 defenseman in the DEL (Yannic Seidenberg had eight points in 2001-02), and was named the league’s rookie of the year.
In the playoffs he had five assists and a plus-6 rating to help Mannheim win the league championship.
Kimelman continues, with great quotes from the hulking defenseman…
MLive discussed the shock factor that Red Wings fans expressed regarding Seider, but it also noted the following from ESPN’s Chris Peters, who had Seider going to the Ottawa Senators in his mock draft:
Moritz Seider, D, Mannheim (Germany)
The Sens have really loaded up at the forward position and already have a high-end defensive prospect in Erik Brannstrom. But Seider would be another good piece to add to the future blue line. He has size, is a right shot and has the hockey sense to make confident plays.
Seider has been viewed as a first-round talent for almost the entire season, but now he’s very much in the conversation to be a top-15 pick. He’s big, smooth and a right shot, which makes him a real rarity. The only risk at this point is that there aren’t a ton of historical comparables for him. The team that drafts him might consider bringing him to North America right away and giving him a shot in the AHL. Seider noted that he will play wherever he thinks will be best for his development, noting that it will be important for him to get more minutes and special-teams play than he got this season.
Pick 6. #DRWDraft | #LGRW pic.twitter.com/MtDTKzSPV0— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
Moritz Seider, selected 6th over all by @DetroitRedWings, said he was surprised to go so high, but that “Yzerman asked so many questions and wanted to know everything about me.” So he thought there might be a chance. #NHLDraft #LGRW pic.twitter.com/HCgPmsVTIS— Julie Robenhymer (@JulieRobenhymer) June 22, 2019
Moritz Seider ???? pic.twitter.com/CAUSlauF2O— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
Boom! ? Round 1, Pick 6! Das ist doch mal eine Ansage! ? Moritz Seider und die @DetroitRedWings! #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/Acdj6f5Xoz— NHL Deutsch (@NHLde) June 22, 2019
“Congratulations to Attack prospect Moritz Seider on being selected in the NHL Draft 6th overall by the Detroit Red Wings. One of our import selections from last year’s draft, we’re thrilled for his success!” pic.twitter.com/Dr4bRwlcn9— Owen Sound Attack (@AttackOHL) June 22, 2019
What a reaction!
Red Wings first round pick Moritz Seider walked to the #NHLDraft stage with shock on his face.
Photo: Getty pic.twitter.com/OGA0Pt1RT6— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) June 22, 2019
Moritz Seider has size, can move the puck and can defend. He’s a right handed shot as well. Like all young players he will need seasoning. That’s ok. Cholowski, Hronek, MacIsaac, Lindstrom, Seider. Something to look forward to on the blue line.— Ken Kal (@KenKalDRW) June 22, 2019
Here’s more World Championship material, per NHL.com’s Aaron Vickers:
Seider (6-foot-3.5, 183 pounds) missed three games of the World Championship because of an injury sustained in the round robin but had two goals in five games and averaged 13:47 of ice time per game — fifth-best among defensemen for Germany — in the tournament.
He impressed in his brief showing.
“He plays like a 35-year-old, almost,” said Draisaitl, teammates with Seider at the World Championship. “He’s so calm and so collected. It’s pretty fun to watch. Hopefully he keeps developing the way that we think he will and you know he’s going to be a special player.
“It’s great to have a young kid coming up that seems to have the potential to be very, very good at hockey.”
Here’s Steve Yzerman speaking with Sportsnet:
Oh yeah. You’re the man, Moritz. ?#DRWDraft #LGRW pic.twitter.com/bC0STbMtjc— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
Moritz Seider in the Red and White. #NHL #NHLDraft #Detroit #RedWings #Michigan pic.twitter.com/Fj214rPKq5— Arthur J. Regner (@ArthurJRegner) June 22, 2019
What.
A.
Feeling.#DRWDraft | #LGRW pic.twitter.com/5OrsvUml1M— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
From Dobber Hockey:
May 2019 – It is extremely rare to see a highly-touted draft-eligible player coming out of the DEL, but Seider is all that and more. The right-shot defender witnessed his stock steadily rise throughout the course of the season, and begin to skyrocket in the back half. This was due to his increased role on the Championship winning, Adler Manheim squad. His five assists in 14 playoff games may not jump off of the page, but his impact was felt in all situations. He was also named the league’s rookie of the year.
Seider completed his year on another high note, becoming one of the youngest defensemen to score a goal at the World Championships. He produced two goals in five games while seeing second-pairing deployment. The 17-year-old blends impressive physical tools with high processing speed and decision-making. This leads to consistent and accurate reads on both ends of the rink. His upside is tantalizing. Cam Robinson
What a moment for the Seider family. ❤️ #DRWDraft #LGRW pic.twitter.com/wHy7QmMzri— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
Just spoke with Jeff Blashill about Red Wings’ draft pick Moritz Seider. Alas, Blashill would not commit to 2019 opening night defense pairing of Oliwer Kaski-Seider.— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) June 22, 2019
Update: The Oakland Press’s Pat Caputo has weighed in…
Because he is not from one of the hockey hot bed countries and hasn’t been showcased on a top team internationally, doesn’t mean Seider won’t have the same upside as some of the defensemen taken early in the draft such as Canada’s Bowen Byram (4th overall to Colorado) or Sweden’s Philip Broberg (8th overall to Edmonton).
The Red Wings went into this draft with two primary needs: Defense and center.
In the process of selecting Seider, they bypassed on centers Dylan Cozens (from Canada, 7th overall to Buffalo) and Trevor Zegras (United States Development Program, 9th overall to Anaheim).
If they become top-end players – and Seider doesn’t – it, of course, will be a decision that could come back to haunt Yzerman.
And the Free Press’s Ryan Ford recalled Steve Yzerman’s draft year “draft floor article,” written by Bill McGraw:
Here’s the first mention of Yzerman from the Freep’s Bill McGraw, in the fourth paragraph of his story on the draft: “But the New York Islanders, drafting third, wound up with LaFontaine. The Red Wings, picking fourth, took Steve Yzerman, a highly rated player from the Ontario Hockey League.”
Again, fourth paragraph. (And this was well before the draft was televised, as it is now.) It took six more paragraphs — and a jump to another page — to get back to Yzerman, after a quick rundown of how the Wings’ hopes for LaFontaine were dashed, including this scene-setter from McGraw, a member of the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame: “At the Red Wing table, owner Mike Ilitch lowered his head and stared at the floor.”
Update #2: The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a video of Seider meeting with the media:
The Red Wings posted a clip of Seider speaking with Art Regner as well:
“It’s been an unreal moment for my whole family.”
Hear from Moritz Seider moments after being selected sixth overall in the 2019 #NHLDraft. | #DRWDraft pic.twitter.com/DgtQhPKxjw— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
Update #3: Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff weighs in:
Seider had himself slotted into a ballpark area of the draft where he figured he should be prepared to hear his name called. Sixth wasn’t even in the same zip code as that area.
“I would say somewhere between 15 and 20,” Seider estimated pre-draft as his likely landing zone. “That was I hoping.
“Now it’s a little bit different. I think I’m pretty happy with that.
“There was a little percentage. We got a couple of good meetings with Detroit and (Wings GM) Steve Yzerman wanted to know every single thing about me. But I mean when you saw a couple of rankings there, I wasn’t that high on any of them so yeah, I’m just excited. Still, it’s an unreal moment.”
Yzerman was intrigued by Seider’s size (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) and the fact that he’s a right-hand shot also played a role in the outcome.
The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has also fleshed out his story:
Yzerman and coach Jeff Blashill watched Seider play at the men’s world championships, and Yzerman
Seider played in Manheim in the German pro league last season, had 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points in 29 games. Seider is a 6-foot-4, 198-pounder with a right-shot, and was the rookie of the year in the German pro league.
The Wings met with Seider during the NHL draft combine in Buffalo.
“They asked so many questions, and wanted to know everything about me,” said Seider, who felt the 40 minute meeting might be an inkling the organization might have interest in him.
Seider said he’ll meet with Wings representatives soon and decide what his best decision will be for next season – North America, or remain in Germany.
On Twitter:
Moritz Seider was asked if he’s a dog-sledder. He said no. #UewKruppreference #RedWings— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) June 22, 2019
Update #4: Of note from the live draft commentaries:
ESPN’s Chris Peters weighs in:
Scouting report: One of the most intriguing players in this entire draft, Seider is a strong skater for such a big guy and sees the ice particularly well. He can make plays at the offensive blue line and does a good job of absorbing and evading pressure in his own zone. There’s some risk because Seider didn’t have a ton of reps on special teams and in key situations this season, but he should be able to get those next season. — Peters
Team fit: The Red Wings do not have a ton of depth among defensemen in their system, but this was a shocker of a pick in Steve Yzerman’s first draft. The value among the forwards still on the board is significant. You’d have to think the Red Wings bring him to North America immediately and allow him to develop in their own system in the AHL. — Peters
NHL.com posted a blurb about Seider’s selection…
NHL.com analysis: The first real surprise of the draft. Seider proved himself against men playing in Germany’s top league and was outstanding at 2019 IIHF World Championship. The Red Wings have been looking to add young defensemen, and with Seider they have a player with one of the bigger upsides in the 2019 Draft class.
Here’s The Sports Forecaster on Seider:
Scouting Report: Owns a very projectable (6-4) frame, so he should play at well over 200 pounds at the professional level when he finishes filling out. Also moves very well for his size. Defends his position well and is adept at making the safe play most of the time. Also displays some offensive upside, though his long-range potential is questionable in terms of point production for the National Hockey League. His right-handedness adds value at the highest level.
Long Range Potential: Big, mobile defenseman with good upside.
If you missed The Athletic’s Corey Pronman:
Team Fit: In Seider, the Wings get a player who a lot of teams were interested in and speculated may go in this range but weren’t 100 percent sure if would happen. NHL sources describe him as a bit of a mystery because of how little he played for his club team, but he impressed NHL folks a lot in international play, such as at the U20 B pool and the World Championship. It’s an aggresive play for me, especially since there are some questions on the offensive upside, but I know a lot of teams who were big believers in Seider. This will be one of the most fascinating picks of the past decade and one of the gutsiest. GM Steve Yzerman is known for making gutsy picks, selecting the injured Brett Connolly at sixth-overall, the tempermental Tony DeAngelo in the top 20 and goalie in Russia in Andrei Vasilevskiy in the first round.
Also, from the Red Wings:
Jeff Blashill on Moritz Seider. #DRWDraft pic.twitter.com/fDvrakawjA— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
Update #5: The Adler Mannheim’s website has a story up about Seidler being picked by the Wings, and it suggests that the big defenseman will head back to the German pro league for the 2019-2020 season;
And DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji has filed a story about Seidler:
Seider, who met with all 31 teams at the combine in Buffalo, said the meeting with Detroit stood out to him.
“That was the longest meeting I had at the combine, about 40 minutes,” Seider said. “It was the last meeting, so it kind of stuck in my memory for a long time. In the end, I think there was just a little percentage being drafted by Detroit, but I think in the end it worked out pretty well.”
Seider said that Yzerman “wanted to know every single thing about me.”
The Red Line Report had Seider ranked 17th in their final issue, calling him a “Two-way defender with outstanding size and mature beyond his years. Both at the senior and junior levels, plays a calm and collected game, glaring mistakes are as rare as snow in July. Simply does not make any bad decisions. Played huge minutes and nearly all of them as a take-charge-guy. Very good mobility and agility, can skate people out of danger areas. Excellent hockey sense, near perfect positional play and no panic at all.
“Won a DEL championship with Mannheim, then made Germany’s senior men’s World Championship team afterward. Not used in an offensive role in Mannheim, but showed both at the U-20 and the WC that he excels on the PP too — distributes the puck well and his wrist shot is hard and accurate. Carries the puck out of his own end or makes great outlets. Only setbacks in a great year were two shoulder injuries, as well as getting driven into the boards at the WC.”
Wakiji continues, and the Free Press’s Helene St. James weighed in:
Seider’s parents quit their jobs as managers of an “old folks home,” he said, and relocated to Mannheim to nurture Seider’s development.
Seider started playing hockey when he was 5. He had a chance while in kindergarten to jump on the ice once a week, and “after a couple times, I got a little piece of paper in my stall from the hockey organization” in his hometown. The next week ,he was skating with his idols and in love with hockey.
He’ll be at development camp next week with the Wings’ recent draft picks.
“Mannheim and Detroit I think have a lot in common,” Seider said. “They are both worker cities. I’m really looking forward to being in Detroit.”
Update #6: Here’s MLive’s Ansar Khan’s article regarding Seider’s comments:
Many expected the Red Wings to tab one of several forwards available – Dylan Cozens, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield or Vasili Podkolzin. But they need defensemen with top-two potential in their system, and Seider fits the bill.
“I would say smart, two-way defenseman who loves to join the rush and creating space for his teammates but also is not afraid to play the body on the ice,” Seider said in describing his game.
He said he improved by playing in the German men’s league, appearing in 29 games for Mannheim (two goals, four assists).
“I think it was the perfect opportunity for myself, challenging, getting better as a player, but also I think it’s very important getting better as a person and just hanging around with all those experienced guys, getting to know their family, that was a huge step for myself as a person,” Seider said.
He said he needs to improve his acceleration, his first few steps, and getting shots through traffic.
He said Nashville’s Roman Josi is one of his biggest idols because he’s “a very smart, two-way defenseman.”
Update #7: Here’s the Sporting News’s Thomas Lott weighs in:
Worst pick: Moritz Seider, D, Germany, Red Wings: This was the first pick of the Steve Yzerman tenure in Detroit and it was a controversial one. While the Red Wings could use absolutely everything, they took a defenseman at No. 6 which very few people saw coming.
The Red Wings selected Moritz Seider out of Germany, who was ranked anywhere in the 15 to 20 range by draft analysts everywhere.
Anything Detroit can get will surely help the struggling franchise, but the consensus with Seider seems to be he’s not a No. 1 defenseman and taking someone who isn’t going to be your top man on the blue line that high is puzzling. Seider is likely to be a good player and a foundational piece for Detroit, but with Cole Caufield, Vasili Podkolzin and even a guy like Spencer Knight still available, Seider was an odd choice.
RotoWorld offers a different take:
The Detroit Red Wings went with German defenseman Moritz Seider with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft on Friday. General manager Steve Yzerman obviously liked what he saw from the rearguard who competed with the Mannheim Eagles in Germany’s top league, posting two goals and six points with a plus-2 rating across 29 games, while also showing out for Germany in the IIHF World Junior Championships. His upside is intriguing, and Red Wings fans will be watching the 2020 World Junior Championship with very close attention.–Daniel E. Dobish – RotoBaller
Here’s Yzerman on Seider, via Sportsnet:
Update #8: The Free Press’s Helene St. James issues the coach’s company line:
“We have really good player in Tyler Bertuzzi that a lot of people thought we went off the board on a number of years ago,” Blashill said. “Yet it looks like a heck of a pick now.”
The Wings drafted Bertuzzi at 58th overall, using the second-round pick they received when they flipped first-round picks with the San Jose Sharks. Leading up to the 2013 draft, Bertuzzi wasn’t expected to go as high as the second round as he missed about two months that year from a whiplash injury. Bertuzzi is now an integral part of the rebuild, a top-six forward and power play guy.
Bertuzzi made his Detroit debut in 2016-17, playing in seven games, but he didn’t record a point. In the 2017-18 season, he played the majority of his games in Detroit (48 with the Red Wings, 16 with Grand Rapids), recording 24 points (seven goals). But it was last season that was a breakout for Bertuzzi, as he logged 47 points and was a plus-11 player.
That was less of a risk, of course, because had he not worked out, it’d have been forgotten by most people. Making an “off the board’” pick at sixth is going to be remembered.
On Twitter…
Soak it all in, Mo. | #DRWDraft pic.twitter.com/U5jckWtZyR— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 22, 2019
Update #9: EliteProspects’ Julie Robenhymer penned a profile of Seider during the World Championship:
Seider considers himself to be a smart two-way defenseman who loves to join the rush and play in the offensive zone, has a good first pass and likes to play the body too. He’s doing his best to not only showcase those skills against some of the best players in the world, but utilize them to help Team Germany remain undefeated in the preliminary round.
“It’s such a great thing to be part of the national team,” he said. “I think every little kid who plays hockey thinks about that. So, I’m very proud to be part of it. It’s been an unreal season for me. It was my first pro hockey season and we won the championship and now I’m with the national team. I’m just happy.
“I want to get better every day,” Seider continued. “And, this is a perfect opportunity to get better and play with some of the best players in the world. It’s a challenge for me right now, but one that I want to accept. I mean, you watch guys like Draisaitl and Kahun in the NHL and now you’re sitting right next to them. It’s crazy.”
Update #10: ESPN’s Chris Peters says this while deeming “winners” and “losers” of the draft’s first round:
What was the biggest shock of the first round?
Well, I’m still struggling to believe Seider went sixth overall. Yes, Seider is an exceptional player with a lot of upside. And he’s a high-character kid. But there’s still a lot to be learned about his game, as he played lower in the lineup with Mannheim this season in Germany. While he seems to fit within the Red Wings’ model, there were other players I liked a lot more, especially forwards. It’s hard to know where Seider would have gone otherwise, but opinions on him really went up after the world championship and combine. Detroit obviously felt strongly enough to dive right in and throw a wrench into the whole thing.
Welcome back George!