Seider emphasizes consistency, working hard to ‘become a better person and leader’ for Red Wings

DETROIT -- Moritz Seider has embraced the heavy workload he’s been entrusted with since making his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 14, 2021. And since the start of this season, his fifth in the NHL, the 24-year-old defenseman has also relished a bigger leadership role as one of the club’s two full-time alternate captains alongside Lucas Raymond.

“You have to adapt to new situations a little bit, but it’s been a great challenge for me,” Seider recently told DetroitRedWings.com about wearing the ‘A’. “You kind of learn, almost every single day, there are great guys in this locker room. By taking away a couple things from them each day, you can try to become a better person and leader. That’s probably the biggest goal for Ray and I, and just what we try to do.”

Continuing to help raise the standard of everyone around him, Seider paces all Red Wings defensemen in assists (13), points (16), power-play goals (1), power-play points (8), shots (59) and average time on ice (24:54) through 23 games this season.

“There are always ups and downs, but it’s just about how you manage them overall,” Seider said when reflecting on his individual season to date. “Overall, I think I’m in a great spot. I play a lot of minutes. I really try to have a positive impact on the game and simplify things. It’s a progression, but I think a very solid start.”

Head coach Todd McLellan, when asked about Seider, said he sees a player who brings a consistent game to Detroit’s lineup.

“Mo is just Mo,” McLellan said. “There’s no better way of saying that, because you get the same thing every night, over and over again. The energy he plays with – he never seems tired. He plays with some physicality, defends fairly well and can provide offense.”

As a blueliner, Seider knows his primary responsibilities are to limit, prevent and ultimately stop offense. The former No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft also welcomes the opportunities to create some for his club, too.

“You want to contribute and play offense as much as possible, but you don’t want to risk anything,” Seider said. “Lately, we’ve been finding a good balance with that. That’s how it sometimes goes. Sometimes, the forwards can’t find the net, so we have to step up…It feels nice to get it done.”

The Red Wings’ modern-day Iron Man, Seider’s streak of consecutive games played to open an NHL career is currently at 351. That recently passed John Ogrodnick (345) as the longest such mark in franchise history.

“It’s about managing your body through the whole season,” Seider said. “You always want to be ready and good to go. I take a lot of pride in being available, but it also takes work afterwards. You have plenty of time, when you’re not practicing or playing, to take care of your body.”

According to McLellan, Seider is a “tough S.O.B., when you really think about it.”

“He gets a lot of bumps and bruises,” McLellan said. “He blocks a lot of shots. Everybody’s pain threshold is a little bit different, but his seems to be quite high so he’s able to fight through it. I think a lot of that is mental, too. He could be a stubborn guy sometimes, and that stubbornness allows him to get through some of the tough times.”