Red Wings surprise by taking Moritz Seider with No. 6 pick

The Detroit Red Wings unexpectedly selected Moritz Seider with the sixth overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Moritz Seider

Position: Defense
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 208 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Adler Mannheim (DEL)
Nationality: German

(Stats courtesy: EliteProspects.com)

Seider entered the draft as the sixth-ranked European skater and fourth-ranked defenseman by NHL Central Scouting.

The German blue-liner uses his large frame to break up plays and win board battles against his opponents. He is a smooth skater for his size but will need to work on his puck skills if he hopes to be featured in a regular power-play role at the NHL level.

Despite being just 17 years old during the past campaign, Seider played well against adults in the German professional league. A shoulder injury sidelined the defenseman for part of the regular season, but Seider returned to eventually help Adler Mannheim capture the DEL championship with five assists in 14 playoff games. He was named Rookie of the Year.

What they're saying

"The most impressive thing about Moritz is that he competes every shift - when he steps on the ice he wants to win, German U-20 coach Christian Kunast said, according to The Athletic's Corey Pronman. "He sees the game very well and that makes him special. He’s also a very good skater.”

"Seider is a powerful player with very good overall skills," said NHL director of European Scouting Goran Stubb, according to NHL.com's Aaron Vickers. "Strong, mature, skilled, and a solid two-way player. Effective in all situations. Good hockey sense and plays an effective, simple game."

Highlights