Detroit Red Wings blueliner Moritz Seider is one of the league’s best young defenseman. That’s no surprise. It should be no surprise that his performance this season has also garnered him plenty of consideration for the Norris Trophy.
Seider is the first great Red Wings rearguard since Nicklas Lidstrom. While winning the Norris Trophy would be a worthwhile accomplishment, he could surprise the NHL by getting consideration for another major award.
A January 8 piece in The Athletic looked at four players who should get consideration for the Hart Trophy. Beyond the usual suspects, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Seider ranked among the players who should get plenty of consideration.
The argument for Seider as a legit Hart Trophy candidate is not hard to make. As the piece pointed out, the Red Wings top blueliner consistently plays against the opposition’s best players. His defensive game has become his hallmark.
But the argument doesn’t stop there. The difference between Seider and the rest of the Red Wings’ defensive core is significant. It’s not that the Red Wings have two or three good defensemen. There’s Seider and then there’s everyone else. As good as Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson have been, they’re not in the same conversation.
That’s something that underscores just how important Seider is to the Red Wings. Without him, it’s ludicrous to imagine that the club would be in the position it’s in at the moment.
Seider’s Trophy Nominations Depend on Red Wings’ Success
As the piece noted, Seider’s consideration for both the Norris and the Hart Trophies largely depend on the Red Wings’ success this season. In particular, that success means making the postseason after a prolonged absence.
The Red Wings are tops in the Atlantic Division at the moment. So, making the playoffs seems like a solid bet. But if the Wings can win the division, especially over a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Seider’s case could be even stronger.
It may seem implausible that individual awards depend on team success. But losing squads tend to sway awards voters away from certain players. It’s rare to see a player from a non-playoff team win a major award unless they have an unbelievably remarkable season.
Seider faces tough competition for the Norris Trophy from the likes of Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Zach Werenski. But then again, a strong season by the Red Wings could yield different results this season.
Seider Could Pull Off Amazing Feat
Winning the Hart Trophy is no easy feat by a non-forward. Last year, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s mind-shocking season landed him the Hart. But as far as defenders go, winning the Hart is an ever rarer feat.
If the Red Wings top D-man can pull it off, he would be the first since Chris Pronger won the Hart in 2000. Before him, Bobby Orr last took the Hart as a defenseman in 1972.
That’s the uphill battle that Seider faces. The battle is not necessarily putting up the numbers and the performance to win the Hart. The battle is to sway voters’ to pick him over incumbents like Mackinnnon and McDavid.
It won’t be easy. But if there’s anyone who has a better-than-expected chance this season, it’s Seider.
Red Wings D-Man Could Surprise with Major Award Consideration