NHL Network is spending the offseason presenting the best current NHL players at each position. On Sunday, the network's producers and analysts revealed their top 20 defensemen in a special program. To add to that conversation, we asked six NHL.com writers to pick the player they think will be the best defenseman in the NHL in three seasons. Here are their choices:
Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings
The 21-year-old certainly got off to a great start in his NHL career when he won the Calder Trophy voted as the League's rookie of the year last season. I see him improving steadily during the next three seasons. He led rookie defensemen with 50 points and 43 assists and was second among them with seven goals (Martin Fehervary of the Washington Capitals scored eight). He led Detroit with 21 power-play points (two goals, 19 assists) last season. Seider's already used to a good amount of ice time (he led the Red Wings with an average of 23:02 per game). With Detroit adding some veterans this offseason, including defenseman Ben Chiarot, Seider can keep improving without too much pressure. He showed great personality when he accepted the Calder at the 2022 NHL Awards He seems like a cool customer, and the Red Wings will benefit from his improvement during the next three seasons. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Seider's outstanding rookie season could just be the tip of the iceberg. He produced offensively, his 50 points in 82 games the most by a Red Wings rookie defenseman since Nicklas Lidstrom had 60 in 1991-92. And he was able to play against the top players in the NHL; he was one of 11 defensemen to average at least 18:00 of ice time per game at even strength (18:16), at least 2:30 on the power play (2:53) and at least 1:30 on the penalty kill (1:53), and the only rookie. And he didn't shy away from physical play, leading the Red Wings in blocked shots (161) and finishing second in hits (151; Adam Erne had 161). And did we mention he's just 21 and has a frame (6-foot-4, 197 pounds) that will allow him to get stronger? More experience, more strength, and in three more seasons he'll have more than a Calder Trophy on his shelf. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor
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