Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider Ready to Play Saturday

The Detroit Red Wings rookie Moritz Seider injury Thursday looked worse than it really was.

The young defenseman is probable for Saturday’s road game against the Arizona Coyotes.

“Based on practice today, he looks like he’ll be able to go,” Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “So we plan on having him ready.”

Seider took a shot off the inside of the knee during a 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights Thursday. He looked in considerable pain as he tried to rise to his feet. It took him a lengthy time to complete the hobbled skate to the Detroit bench.

Moritz Seider skating at practice today in Arizona. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/dUlwkTLaTf

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 19, 2021

Moritz Seider Had a Rough Night

Seider had a bad night all around. He was on the ice for three of the Golden Knights’ five goals. Danny Dekeyser was his partner and he also was -3.

Detroit’s defensive game has been a major problem all season. The Red Wings have given up 15 goals on this 0-3 road trip. They now rank 28th in the NHL with a 3.42 goals-against average. Detroit’s goal-differential is -12.

Seider has only played 19 NHL games and he’s already crucial to the team’s competitiveness. He’s second in the league’s rookie scoring race with 13 points.

The Red Wings have a good chance of ending this trip on a positive note. They will be playing a Coyotes team that is on a pace to be the worst team in NHL history. The Coyotes are 2-13-2 after 17 games. They are only averaging 1.76 goals per game.

Moritz Seider skating at practice today in Arizona. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/dUlwkTLaTf

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 19, 2021

Detroit forward Givani Smith, occasionally a healthy scratch may have earned a second consecutive game in the lineup. He scored his first goal of the season in the game against Vegas. He also showed some grittiness.

“Givani’s had a number of games where in the offensive zone he’s done a good job,” Blashill said. “He still has to keep working on the other side of the ice. But I thought last night he was on the puck, he was physical. One thing Givani brings us that we don’t have tons of is big size. So against those real big defensemen – the D corps in Vegas is real big and strong and he’s able to create puck battle wins because of his size and strength and the way he plays. Givani’s has to find a way to do that on a night to night basis and then sharpen up a little bit at the other end, but so do a number of our guys.