Nick Seeler

History

2009-10: Nick Seeler scored 3 goals with 14 assists and was +23 with 12 PMs in 25 games for Minnesota’s Eden Prairie High School. In three sectional playoff games he scored 1 goal with 3 assists and was +4. The Eagles finished first in the powerful Lake Conference and reached the Section 6AA Final – falling to Minnetonka.

2010-11: Seeler was the leading scorer among defensemen for Eden Prairie as a senior as the Eagles captured the Minnesota AA state championship. He scored 9 goals with 34 assists and was +11 with 48 PMs in 28 games. Prior the the high school season Seeler skated for Team Southwest in the Upper Midwest Elite League and in 24 games scored 3 goals with 10 assists. He committed to playing college hockey at Nebraska-Omaha. Not among the 212 North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings, Seeler was selected by the Wild in the 5th round (131st overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft.

2011-12: Seeler split the season between Muskegon and Des Moines in the USHL – being obtained by the Buccaneers in a February deal just prior to the league’s trading deadline. In 32 games with the Lumberjacks, who finished last in the East Division and had the USHL’s second-worst record, he scored 2 goals with 13 assists and was minus-eight with 32 penalty minutes. He skated in 26 games for Des Moines, which also missed the playoffs after finishing seventh in the West Division. Seeler scored 2 goals with 11 assists and was minus-eight with 33 minutes for the Buccaneers.

2012-13: Seeler played in 34 games for Nebraska-Omaha as a freshman. He scored 2 goals with 7 assists and was +7 with 55 penalty minutes. Seeler spent time on the top pairing alongside senior Bryce Aneloski early in the year but had a reduced role later in the year as the Mavericks struggled down the stretch. UNO finished seventh in the WCHA and lost to Minnesota State in a first round playoff series. Seeler missed the November 30th series against Minnesota due to injury.

2013-14: Seeler skated in 36 games for Nebraska-Omaha in his sophomore season. Frequently paired with Anaheim prospect Jaycob Megna on the top pairing for the Mavericks, he scored 4 goals with 5 assists and was minus-7 with 61 penalty minutes. Nebraska-Omaha finished third in the NCHC in the conference’s inaugural season before falling to sixth-place Denver in a best-of-three quarterfinal series.

2014-15: Seeler transferred to the University of Minnesota and practiced with the Gophers but was not eligible to play in any games as per NCAA rules. 

2015-16: Seeler skated in 36 games for the University of Minnesota in his first season with the Gophers. He had 10 assists and was +21 with 43 penalty minutes. Minnesota finished first in the Big 10 in the regular season but did not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament after a 5-3 loss to Michigan in the conference championship game. Seeler signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild in March 2016. 

Talent Analysis

Seeler skates well and likes to be a part of the play in all three zones. Whether his skill level and style of play will allow him to succeed at the NHL level remains to be seen.

Future

Seeler skated for the University of Minnesota in 2015-16, signing a contract with the Wild in March 2016 following his only season with the Gophers. A skating, playmaking defenseman whose skill set fit the college game, he will work to make the transition to pro hockey; likely starting his career with the Iowa Wild in 2016-17. He projects as a two-way defenseman who will use his size and skating speed to advantage.