Todd McLellan had a memorable one-liner about star Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider after Saturday night’s shootout win.
Seider played one heck of a game on Saturday night vs. the San Jose Sharks. He finished with two assists, four blocks, four hits, a takeaway, a plus-1, and an outrageous 29:46 of ice time. Seider has evolved into one of the NHL’s best defensemen, and games like Saturday’s win vs. San Jose drive that point home.
His play drew praise from McLellan. Per Dave Hogg of NHL.com, McLellan said, “He’s a machine.” McLellan went on to say, “He goes out there and sells out for his teammates, blocking shots and making plays, and then he does it again and again.”
Todd McLellan Noticing Moritz Seider’s Continued Stellar Play
Goals have been hard to come by for the Red Wings in 2026-27. They’re currently 27th in the league with 19. But that hasn’t stopped Seider from landing five assists in his first eight games. His five helpers are the most on the team, and he’s on an 84-game pace for between 52 and 53.
He has a plus-2 rating, 25:44 of average total ice time, 26 blocks, 18 hits, and three takeaways. Seider’s number of blocked shots stands out. If he keeps up that pace, he could end the year with 273. Keep an eye on how many times Seider invades shooting lanes.
Seider’s possession metrics are also trending north. He has a Corsi For Percentage of 53.4 at even strength, putting him on pace for a career-high. His on-ice shooting percentage may be a concerning 7.5. But keep in mind that the Red Wings are struggling to find the net as a team.
That said, goals are hard to come by for opponents when Seider is in the game. So far at even strength, Seider has watched just three pucks land in Detroit’s net. That gives him a 93.6 on-ice save percentage.
Alongside teammate Alex DeBrincat, Seider remains on his Ironman streak with 418 straight games. DeBrincat has played in 464 straight contests, but Seider’s streak may be more impressive with his physical, defense-first style.
Is Moritz Seider Putting Together A Norris-Caliber Season?
Last season, Seider put up 10 goals and 60 points en route to a fifth-place finish for the Norris Trophy. Over the summer, The Hockey News recognized Seider as the NHL’s best defensive defenseman. Therefore, he’s getting much-deserved recognition, even if his points total doesn’t always match that of other elite defensemen like Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes, and Evan Bouchard.
Goals will likely come for Seider once the Red Wings get into more of a groove. Right now, with injuries to key players, it has limited the number of full-time NHL forwards they can put onto the ice, forcing them to go with seven defensemen — two of whom (William Wallinder and Anton Johansson) lack sound NHL experience.
Once things smooth out for the Red Wings and they get healthier, expect Seider’s point total to rise even more. If it can jump from the 60 points he recorded in 2025-26, he may snag at least another top-five finish as one of the league’s best defensemen.
Todd McLellan Has Strong Words for Moritz Seider