Longtime Detroit Red Wings nemesis Chris Pronger weighed in on the performance of defenseman Moritz Seider so far this season.
The Detroit Red Wings haven't had a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman since the days of Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom patrolling their blue line. Lidstrom won the award seven times, most recently in 2011.
However, that drought has a significant chance of ending this season.
Defenseman Moritz Seider has all the tools to firmly be in the conversation as one of the NHL’s best at his position.
Seider currently leads all Red Wings defensemen in ice time and points while contributing in every situation. He also carries a team-best plus-13 rating.
While the current odds-on favorite to be named the Norris Trophy winner is Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, Seider is giving him a healthy dose of competition.
During a recent episode of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, hosts Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette were joined by Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, and the conversation turned to Seider.
"We mentioned a month ago, the season he's having," Whitney said of Seider. "And I said, 'I don't know if there's been a defenseman as close to Chris Pronger the way Moritz Seider is playing right now....he's mean, he's enormous."
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
“Are you seeing some characteristics that you had in your game out of him?” Whitney asked.
Bissonnette followed up: “And is he a No. 1 at this point?"
"At this point, yes," Pronger responded without hesitation before delving deeper into the characteristics that he feels a top NHL defenseman should have.
The top defensive pairing of Seider and Edvinsson has been at the top of the NHL this season and has been a key part of Detroit's advantageous position in the standings at the time of the Olympic break.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.