Top 20 Detroit Red Wings Prospects To Watch In 2019-20

Moritz Seider, Alder Mannheim, 6 points in 2018-19

In a complete shock to the fanbase in the Red Wings, GM Steve Yzerman decided that Moritz Seider was the best player available at the sixth overall pick. Seider is another, big-bodied defenseman, standing 6-foot-3, 208-pounds as a right-handed shooting defenseman.

Though many were shocked by the selection of Seider this season, he will be an impactful player that is just going to add to a steady crop of defenseman that should keep feeding the Red Wings defense core for years to come.

In twenty-nine games with the Adler Mannheim team of the SHL, Seider scored two goals and four assists for six points. Seider is a defenseman who may not have the scoring numbers like McIsaac or Kaski but could pan out into a real force for the Detroit Red Wings in the future.

Seider is projected to be on the fast track to the NHL level as he signed his entry-level contract this season but could find himself in an NHL uniform quicker than initially anticipated. After a robust NHL Prospect Tournament, Seider seems poised to make the AHL roster rather than return to Adler Mannheim.

With his offense lacking, Seider gets good reads on plays and uses his vision to increase his decision-making. He may not be a defenseman who puts the puck in the net consistently, but he can carry the puck and do a great job of setting up plays while moving the puck. Seider is known to use his body to boost his defensive ability, which makes him even more dangerous in the defensive zone.

Seider is an impressive prospect who may not be the highly touted scorer but can become a high-impact player for the Red Wings in the nearer future. Being only eighteen years old, things could change quickly, but Seider should be able to excel with his current style of play. The hope remains that Seider can transfer his game to the professional level and be fast-tracked to the league.

Early Expectations: The excitement with Seider is that he could be eerily similar to an NHL defenseman that Yzerman should be quite familiar with, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman. If Seider can become an offensive threat, minimally, he could very well be the equivalent of a Victor Hedman style of defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings.

He could also be compared to Alex Pietrangelo, with less offense, but the hope is that it will develop during his time with the Griffins and then Detroit Red Wings. A defensive-minded defenseman who has the potential to contribute offensively is easily a future top-pairing guy if that offense develops, the keyword being “IF.”