Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen noted that Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill seems to be leaning toward starting the exhibition season (at least) with prized rookie Moritz Seider skating on a defensive pair with 30-year-old defenseman Nick Leddy:
“It’s a pairing that we could potentially use going into the season,” Blashill said. “We want to go through some exhibition games and see. It was a starting point for us. Part of it is how good does Moritz play in terms of what type of minutes they’re going to see.”
Leddy was acquired from the New York Islanders in the offseason. The hope is he could help the team’s power play. Leddy is an exceptional skater, known for his ability to move the puck through the neutral zone. He has also played in 776 NHL regular-season games and has frequently been matched up against top offensive players. Leddy is known for his puck-moving, but he is an underrated one-on-one defender.
“I don’t think we necessarily need to have one pair that goes out every night against the other team’s best players every single shift,” Blashill said. “I think we can share those responsibilities. Moritz and Leds can do that. ”
The players’ strengths complement each other. Plus, Leddy is a left shot and Seider shoots right.
“You got a really good skater in Leddy,” Blashill said. “You got a real big guy in Moritz. Both have the opportunity to jump up into the play. I think having that veteran presence, we felt like it could be a real good match. They could see some significant minutes together. We’ll see how they continue to go.”
