Photo Credit: NHL.com
By now we all know that the Flyers’ general manager Chuck Fletcher has no problem bringing in guys that have played well for him before who he has either signed or drafted in the past when he was employed by other teams. One of the latest players being the virtually unknown defenseman Nick Seeler, who Chuck drafted back in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with the Minnesota Wild’s 5th round pick.
While inking Seeler to a one-year two-way contract worth up to $750,000 this season back on July 28th, 2021 may not have been the flashy, big-name type of signing that catches most people’s attention, I assure you- with all the injures occurring during this camp, Seeler just might find his name typed into the Flyers’ opening night roster as the teams’ 7th defenseman when the season begins.
But just who is this player who has come into the Flyers’ camp and has been turning some heads? Nick Seeler is a knowledgeable 28-year-old left-hand-shot defender who is 6’2 and weighs in at 201 pounds. He hails from Eden Prairie, Minnesota where he learned to play the game the right way. This hard-nosed American born player takes pride in playing a more physical game. Whether it be laying a big check, sacrificing his body to block a shot, or throwing hands to come to the defense of one of his teammates, Nick simply knows no other way to play the game! With all these being traits that most Philadelphia fans would consider to be a prerequisite in order to don a Flyers jersey, it only made sense for Chuck to give Seeler a call after he sat out all of last season after getting thrown onto the scrap heap (placed on unconditional waivers) by the Chicago Blackhawks organization after playing just 6 games for them.
Seeler comes to the Flyers with 105 games of NHL experience and 112 games played in the AHL already in his career. With his addition he not only offers the Flyers youth some veteran leadership and guidance while playing in Lehigh Valley with the Phantoms, but also could serve as a great 7th defenseman for the Flyers with all the latest injuries occurring. There’s no way that Cam York needs to be playing as the Flyers’ 6th defenseman if an injury occurs. He needs time to play top line minutes in any and all situations (on the power play, penalty kill etc.) in order to continue his development. The last thing the Flyers need to do is hinder his growth by playing York 10 minutes or less a night. This is a role that Seeler is much better suited for right now until someone like Sam Morin is able to return to action.
Whether he ends up in the NHL or the AHL, Seeler is sure to contribute. While some may see him as just a body, I promise you he is more of a “cog in the wheel”. Nick’s attention to detail helps him stand out and will allow him to be an integral part to the Flyers organization this season.
