When the Detroit Red Wings selected him with the sixth-overall draft pick in 2019, Moritz Seider was an unknown quantitiy to most hockey fans. But in this feature story from THN's 2020 Future Watch edition, veteran writer Bob Duff explored who Seider was -- and why he was so crucial to Detroit's future:

THE APPLE OF HIS EYE

By Bob Duff

Once it was determined that Moritz Seider would stay and play in the AHL to help him gain a handle on the North American game, the next step was to assign the Detroit Red Wings prospect a proper hockey handle.

To their credit, his teammates declined to mobilize the usual unimaginative hockey nomenclature and go with ‘Seids’ or ‘Seidsy.’ The nickname they went with was ‘Apple.’

As in apple cider. “It’s always nice to get nicknames, in my opinion,” Seider said.

This one is appropriate. Clearly, Seider is too special a player to be given a run-of-the-mill moniker. Enjoying his first season in North America with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, Seider, 18, is proving to the rest of the hockey world why, in the Wings’ opinion, he was the apple of their eye. “We’re really pleased with his development,” said Detroit GM Steve Yzerman.

It was Yzerman who determined the Wings would select the 6-foot-4, 210-pound right-shot defenseman with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft, well ahead of where Seider was projected to go.

There were audible gasps inside Vancouver’s Rogers Arena when Yzerman announced the pick. Seider was caught by TV cameras wearing a look of stunned silence, his eyes wide with wonder. He covered his mouth with his hands, utterly shocked. “Everybody knows that it was a little bit surprising,” Seider said. “Now I’m here, and I think we don’t have to look back, we have to look forward, and it’s going to be fun.”

The Wings expected he’d be able to make a smooth transition to the North American game. Seider spent 2018-19 playing with men for Adler Mannheim, champions of Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga. And he suited up for Germany at the 2019 World Championship. But no one anticipated he’d be this dominant so quickly. “At the start of the season, I thought he would average 17 minutes, 18 minutes maybe,” Yzerman said. “I looked at the ice time recently. He’s been 25, even 27 minutes a game. He’s playing in all situations, and he’s touching the puck.”

That’s a significant element in Seider’s progression. Back home, Mannheim wasn’t deploying him in attacking situations. He didn’t see a lot of time in the offensive zone and, therefore, he wasn’t afforded many opportunities to handle the puck in creative scenarios.

In Grand Rapids, he’s on the first power-play unit. He kills penalties. He logs shutdown time against opponents’ top lines. “Here in G.R., he’s getting on there, and he’s handling the puck,” Yzerman said. “You see his play along the blueline, and the offensive part of his game is coming. Being able to log those big minutes is a great experience for him.”

Captaining Germany at the 2020 World Junior Championship, Seider exhibited that growth in his all-around game. He averaged 25:20 of ice time per game and was on the ice for just three even-strength goals against.

Seider dished out six assists, including three helpers in Germany’s win over the favored hosts from the Czech Republic. And though he didn’t find the back of the net, he did put 21 shots on goal. “He has a lot of confidence with the puck,” said left winger Taro Hirose, who has played with Seider in Grand Rapids. “He’s one of those D-men that, as an offense-minded guy, you want to play with because he’s not just going to be dumping the puck in. He’s going to be making plays and looking for you.”

The Wings are also discovering their ‘Apple’ Seider has some vinegar. “He looks like he belongs physically,” said Wings coach Jeff Blashill.

Blashill specifically cited an episode from a pre-season game against the New York Islanders: “Matt Martin went to hit him in the corner, and Martin kind of bounced off him. That means you’re a big, strong guy. At 18 years old, he’s really big and strong. His skating is good. He’s got a lot of the physical attributes already.”

With their team posting the NHL’s worst record this season, Detroit’s fans are seeking out signs of hope and clamoring for a live look at Seider in NHL action, but that’s unlikely to happen yet. The team doesn’t see a point in tossing the future of their D-corps into such a depressing scenario. But it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Seider start 2020-21 as a regular on the Detroit blueline. So what does he need to do to ensure that happens?

“I just think it’s honestly game experience,” Blashill said. “I don’t think he needs a lot of direction, to be dead honest with you. He will figure it out, because he’s so hockey smart, what he can get away with, what he can’t get away with.”

Sounds like the Wings are certain their ‘Apple’ seed isn’t far away from blossoming.