It took some time, but the Red Wings have finally obtained a new contract for their franchise defenseman following a protracted discussion that continued into the opening day of training camp. The Detroit Tigers announced on Thursday that they had extended the contract of 23-year-old RHD Moritz Seider for seven years at an average annual value of $8.55 million.
With the deal, Seider will reach his 30th birthday and provide the Red Wings with a key member of their blue line for the foreseeable future.
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Here’s what you need to know.
What Seider means to the Red Wings
He is without a doubt their best defenseman and a key member of the group. I predict that one day, perhaps not too far off, he will wear a letter. In his three years in the NHL, he has yet to miss a game, making him the quintessential workhorse defenseman.
According to data from The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn, he played the hardest minutes of any NHL blueliner last season. While he had some expected ups and downs in those minutes, it shows Detroit is faith in him to take on that kind of responsibility at such a young age. With back-to-back 42-point seasons, he has also maintained a comparatively high offensive floor, even with less power-play opportunities last season due to the arrival of Shayne Gostisbehere.
Seider, to put it simply, represents the blue line’s future and present for Detroit. For many years to come, he will be one of the team’s faces.
Why a long-term deal makes sense for Detroit
Seider’s long-term contract guarantees the Red Wings an idea of his cap sheet cost for the foreseeable future. The three other top young blueliners who recently received long-term extensions were Brock Faber (eight years at $8.5 million annually), Owen Power (seven years at $8.35 million annually), and Jake Sanderson (eight years at $8.05 million annually). However, Seider’s career record to date outperforms those of all three.
IT’S MO-TOWN, BABY 🙌
The #RedWings have signed Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $8,550,000. pic.twitter.com/WuZRSGRC3z— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 19, 2024
Though it is difficult to say for sure what Seider and his representatives would have wanted on that kind of term, Detroit would have likely preferred to have an eighth year here. However, after Faber’s contract became comparable earlier this summer, the price on a maximum-term extension might have been a bit too high for the Red Wings.
The agreement expires one year before to Lucas Raymond’s subsequent contract and concurrently with Dylan Larkin’s eight-year extension inked in 2023.
On the $8.55 million AAV
Detroit is remaining cap space is almost entirely consumed by Seider’s agreement, leaving only around $200,000 for 2024–2025. However, the Red Wings would seem to have effectively established an internal cap ceiling in the short term by accepting Larkin’s $8.7 million AAV.
That is always subject to change in the future, particularly with the NHL pay cap increasing. However, it will be extremely difficult for a Red Wings defenseman to demand a higher salary than Seider or a forward to want a higher salary than Larkin for at least the next few years.
How this deal can deliver value for Detroit
Naturally, it should age into good value, and in the upcoming years, the growing cap should gradually drive up the cost of big-minute defenders. But in order for the Red Wings to benefit the most from it, Seider must keep advancing along his current trajectory, which is becoming a two-way player they can rely on to tip the odds in their favor.
In many respects, shutting down elite opponents and playing in difficult matchups will probably always be Detroit is main demands of Seider. It is a challenging job that he will need to keep learning, but he can definitely succeed in it.
But teams also hope to receive a lot of offensive production when they sign defenseman for this kind of money and duration. Seider’s half-point-per-game production over the past two years is impressive considering his role, but in an ideal world, Detroit would prefer to see him surpass the 50 points per game he scored as a rookie for the duration of this contract. That goal would benefit from more top power-play time, which is achievable this season with Gostisbehere out of the picture.
(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
