With 2024 Red Wings Training Camp underway, all but one player is accounted for in Traverse City. Moritz Seider is still an RFA as contract negotiations chug along, and today we’re getting some insight as to where both sides stand. According to Elliotte Friedman in his latest 32 Thoughts, it’s unlikely that Seider will get an eight-year deal like Lucas Raymond did. That’s largely due to Steve Yzerman wanting to keep cap hits below Dylan Larkin’s, which is at $8.7 million.
”As for the other remaining RFAs: it is hard to see an eight-year deal for Moritz Seider if Detroit wants to keep him below Dylan Larkin’s $8.7M AAV”
According to PuckPedia, Detroit’s estimated cap space is just north of $8.7 million.
Let’s be clear — this could be Friedman making an educated guess. As far as I know, no NHL insider had reported Raymond’s deal before the Wings made the official announcement. That reinforces the belief that nothing leaves Yzerman’s vault. I have a really difficult time believing that Yzerman (and Seider) would shy away from an eight-year contract with a comparable AAV to Dylan Larkin. Larkin is your franchise center, and Seider is your franchise defenseman. With the financial landscape of the NHL growing, it’s important to sign these type of players to long contracts now so that you can save yourself some cap space in the future.
Still, you have to believe that a deal will get done and that Seider’s visa status won’t be an issue. I’m preparing myself for term less than eight years, but the idea of it doesn’t sit all too well with me. We’ll see what happens, and now that this article has been published, a deal will probably be announced in short order. (that’s just my luck!)
