The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted her pre-training camp article this morning, discussing Moritz Seider’s chances of making the team and Tyler Bertuzzi’s status as unvaccinated and unable to play in Canada:
Seider, 20, comes to the Wings after spending last season with Rögle, where he played so well he was named the Swedish Hockey League defenseman of the year. Previously, he spent a season with the Grand Rapids Griffins and a season in the men’s league in his native Germany.
“Moritz will get every opportunity in the preseason to get as comfortable as he can be to potentially start the regular season,” Yzerman said. “He’s going to compete with not only the other three right shots, but the four left shots as well. Moritz has done well — playing in the men’s league in Germany, he did well. I was somewhat apprehensive his first year in Grand Rapids, as an 18 year old, and he did well. Then going into Sweden last year, he performed well. We are optimistic he’s up for the challenge. I would temper the excitement — it’s a huge step going from the AHL or the SHL to the NHL, the reality is the best players in the world are in the NHL. It is difficult to play in, more so for goalies and defensemen than it is for forwards.
“We expect there to be some learning, but I think he’s physically strong enough, he’s mature enough, and he has enough hockey sense to play. Can he adapt to the speed and excel in the league? Time will tell. He’s 20 years old.”
Continued (paywall)
Update: Here’s a bit more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle’s Andrew Rosenthal:
Moritz Seider, fresh off an year with the Swedish team of Rögle, is a name many fans are itching to know whether or not he will make the 23-player roster or new taxi squad.
What’s certain is he’ll be on the ice a lot in the preseason, Yzerman indicated. The Red Wings took the 20-year-old from Zell, Germany, sixth overall in the 2019 NHL draft. Seider did not play in last weekend’s prospect tournament but is set to appear in Traverse City for camp, which starts Thursday morning at Centre ICE.
Detroit will carry eight defenseman this winter.
“I would temper the excitement and the expectations,” Yzerman said. “I think it’s a huge step going from the American League, the Swedish league, or the KHL for that matter, to the NHL. The reality is the best players in the world are in the NHL, with exception of the young guy who’s stayed in Europe for a year or two more.”
