DRAFT PROFILE | Moritz Seider: DEL’s Rookie Of The Year And Potential Habs Pick At the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver
We will continue our look at prospective draft picks for the Montreal Canadiens at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft with Moritz Seider of Alder Mannheim (DEL).
Moritz Seider, Defence, Alder Mannheim (DEL) 
April 6, 2001 | Zell (Mosel), Germany
6-4, 198 lbs. | Shoots Right |
2018-’19: 29 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS
CSB: No. 6 (EU Skaters) | ISS: No. 27 | THN: No.22 | HP: No. 11 | FC: No. 17
The Montreal Canadiens have made enormous strides recently to restock their prospect pool, which is currently ranked 10th overall by The Hockey News. In 2017, the Habs selected Ryan Poehling, who had a hat trick in his NHL debut and scored the shootout winner in front of a home crowd.
The Canadiens also acquired Nick Suzuki as the key part of a deal that sent Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights. A short time ago, Suzuki was named OHL Playoffs MVP, amassing 42 points in just 24 games with the Guelph Storm.
Add prospects such as Josh Brook, Cale Fleury, Alexander Romanov, Cayden Primeau, Jesse Ylonen, and Joni Ikonen to that list, and the Canadiens are setting themselves up for a bright future.
Last summer in Dallas, we saw Trevor Timmins and Marc Bergevin step up to the podium and take some by surprise by selecting Jesperi Kotkaniemi, passing on players such as Brady Tkachuk and Filip Zadina, to select the best centre available and fill a recognizable hole on the depth chart. Will we see the same this season in Vancouver?
Enter Moritz Seider.
You may be wondering why the Canadiens would select a right-handed defender when they have an abysmal hole on the left side. However, with Alexander Romanov likely being a year away from playing in North America and with Josh Brook’s ability to comfortably play both sides of the ice, the Canadiens should be able to afford to take a defender regardless of if they shoot left or right.
Seider is a defender who captained the U20 German D1A team to a gold medal at the World Junior Championship, returning them to the top grouping in 2020. He was the anchor the Germans needed on the blueline to accomplish this feat, playing in all situations. Seider was also awarded DEL rookie of the year, as Alder Mannheim would capture the DEL championship. He is currently playing for the German National Team at the IIHF World Hockey Championship, and he’s even scored a goal.
Moritz Seider becomes only 3rd U18 defenseman to ever score a point or goal at the Worlds, joining Phil Housley and Reijo Ruotsalainen.
— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) May 11, 2019
Playing in Germany, he’ll have plenty of options after hearing his name called at the draft. He could return to the DEL or play in the NHL, AHL or the OHL, where the Owen Sound Attack own his rights after selecting him in the CHL Import Draft.
At six-foot-four and 198 pounds, Seider moves well for his size with good speed in all directions. He uses his size effectively along the boards and in front of the net, playing a physical game, throwing big hits if the opportunity is presented.
In terms of offense, Seider had two goals and six points this season, playing in the top German league as a 17-year-old. He’s much more of a force on the scoresheet, at the U20 D1A for example, he had a goal and six assists in five games. Seider is a player who can move the puck out of his zone, carry the puck if needed, and get shots through traffic.
At just 18 years old, Seider has room to grow physically, adding size and strength to his frame. Seider’s amalgamation of size, mobility, two-way skill and physicality should catch the eyes of many teams in Vancouver, including the Montreal Canadiens.
With the appropriate coaching and development, Seider could play a top four role at the NHL level, playing in all situations. However, it’ll likely take a few years to do so and patience will be key.
By Matt Smith, Staff Writer. Edited by Cate Racher.
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