Nick Seeler - Blocking the Bumpy Road

His parents were never worried about him getting hurt. Not even if he was to step in front of a routine 100 mile per hour slap shot in front of 19,537 roaring fans in Wells Fargo Arena. Not even if that shot sidelined him for weeks on end. 

Nick Seeler has a job different from most people across the world. A daring job, a painful job, a job that his family knows that could potentially harm him or even end in death. 

Nick is a hockey player, but not some ordinary one. He isn’t a goal scoring machine or an out of this world passer. He doesn’t try to be flashy and wow the surrounding fans. He is a defenseman, a general on the floor, the second to last line of defense, and one of the bravest men on the ice.

He is one of the national hockey league’s (NHL) best shot blockers. 

Coming in at fifth highest in the NHL in 2024, Seeler has blocked 199 shots with every part of his body he can throw into a rubber puck, hurling at him at high speeds.

"He's a huge part of the competitiveness of the room, that brings that room together," Tortorella told ESPN. "He's one of the true competitors that I've ever coached as far as how he handles himself."

Playing only 70 games this season and 17 minutes of average ice time per game, Seeler is a true difference maker for the Philadelphia Flyers. Becoming the backbone of their defensive core. But it wasn’t always like that.

Seeler grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a suburb only 40 minutes outside of the state’s capital city of St. Paul. Living with his two older sisters Ashley and Kelly, along with his dad, Dan, and mom, Kris, Seeler, was born into the sport and the state of hockey. 

Like a lot of Minnesota kids, Seeler grew up a Minnesota Wild fan and dreamed of playing for the team when he was older. With Wild posters, memorabilia, and season tickets dating back to the Minnesota North Stars plastered around the Seeler household and Nick’s room, he dreamt day and night of playing professional hockey.

That dream was surrounded by him, but so far away at the same time. 

Nick had to defy all odds to even play division one hockey. Even his own father didn’t think it was a possibility at the time.

“I don’t think that could've been a possibility,” said Dan Seeler. “He was never the biggest, fastest, or most talented guy on the ice, but he never quit, and that’s who he is.”

Dan couldn’t have been closer to the truth about his own son.

Nick played hockey since he was three-years-old and organized hockey since five. Playing for the Eden Prairie Eagles youth organization - all the way up to high school. 

From freshman to junior year, Nick was a dual sport junior varsity athlete for both hockey and golf. But during this time, he was limited to playing time for the Eagles due to his underdeveloped size.

Standing at only five-foot-six and just under 140 pounds in highschool, he was doubted before stepping onto the ice at the Eden Prairie Community Center. 

This didn’t stop Seeler from succeeding. 

“I was never the biggest on the ice, but that didn’t discredit my confidence,” said Seeler. “That never tore me down. I was never going to doubt my ability. I knew the player I could be.”

During the summer of his Junior year, not only did Seeler grow in stature to 6-foot-two, but grew in maturity, and that’s when his game skyrocketed. From scoring four goals and 23 points in his first three seasons, Seeler dominated in his senior season - tallying nine goals, 43 points, and a boatload of blocked shots.

He had finally arrived.

“Eden Prairie was a thrill, I had slowly evolved into the player I was,” said Seeler. “I stepped in front of dozens of shots without thinking. It’s just nature for me. I knew how good I could be.”

For most hockey players in Minnesota, the sport is as tough as they come. Players tie their Bauer and CCM skates all over the state just to fall short every season. That was Nick his first three years of high school, but he got better and better every year.

From shooting pucks at his net at home in front of his white colored beat up garage, Nick wanted the challenge of getting better.

“The game of hockey from a maturity standpoint is hard, you need to get better every single year,” said Seeler’s dad. “Embrace those challenges in things you’re not good at and Nick has done that ever since he was a kid.”

After his senior season in Eden Prairie, Seeler took the next step to his dream of playing professional hockey, committing to the University of Nebraska Omaha. But before he could step on a division one ice sheet, there was something bigger in store for the entire Seeler clan.

Thanks to a stellar senior season with Eden Prairie and being selected to First-Team All-State selection, Seeler entered into the NHL draft.  

Every year the NHL hosts the draft at a different team’s arena. In 2011, the draft location was none other than Xcel Energy Center, the home of the Minnesota Wild. The arena that made Seeler fall in love with hockey. 

Seeler was prepared to be drafted. But by whom was the question? 

As the hours ticked by and players came off the lit up big board on the Wild’s black and tree-lined Jumbotron, it became longer and longer for the Seeler family. 

The first, second, third, and fourth round went by ever so slowly, according to Seeler’s dad. “It was one of the most exciting moments you will never forget,” said Dan. “But it was long, extremely long.”

The NHL draft is a two-day event. Composed of players all over the world, like Nick waiting for their shot to join the most bruising hockey league in the world, just sitting there waiting for their names to be called. Some players, even if drafted, don’t even make it to the NHL or even step foot on the ice for years on end. 

After four-and-a-half rounds and 130 players had been selected, the Seeler family, sitting 15 rows up from where Nordy, the Wild mascot, plants the team flag at center ice on game days, sat in temptation. 

“The Minnesota Wild are next on the clock,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. 

Roars and boos filled the Xcel Energy Center from the dislikement of Bettman and the joy of the Wild faithful. 

Wild general manager, Chuck Fletcher, hands the card to Bettman as he takes the stand. 

“With the 131st pick in the 2011 NHL draft, the Minnesota Wild select Nick Seeler, defenseman, Eden Prairie High School.”

The Seeler family had burst into happiness, smiles stretched across their faces. Tears rolling down their cheeks as they all embraced. A moment of joy no one could anticipate, not even Seeler’s dad.

“When he went to that draft we didn’t know he would be drafted,” said Dan. “When he was drafted in the 5th round by the Wild, his hometown and favorite team as a kid, it was surreal, it was almost stunning.”

“It was an extremely emotional and exciting day for all my family,” proclaimed Dan. “It all happened so fast, it was one of those moments Nick and the rest of the family will never forget.”

Wearing his black, white, and dark blue striped tie and white button-down shirt, Seeler happily hugged his family and made his way onto the stage he once envisioned walking across. He accepted the pine green Wild jersey and slipped on a lighter green and red striped Wild hat. He had done it, he had lived his dream.

After signing his entry level contract with the Wild, Seeler returned to college to finish out his senior season.

After three years at Nebraska Omaha, Seeler transferred to the University of Minnesota for the 2015-16 season - joining his former Eden Prairie teammate Mitch Rogge. During his time with the Golden Gophers, Seeler recorded a career high 10 assists and 10 points in 36 games, all while recording 91 blocked shots.

“Junior hockey and my years at Omaha turned me into a new player,” said Seeler with a chuckle. “But playing for the Gophs was so much fun man.”

Only four years after Seeler dawned the gold and maroon number 11 for the Golden Gophers and signed his entry level contract with the Wild, he would be placed on waivers by Minnesota on February 2nd, 2020.

“It was always a dream to play in the NHL and for the Wild,” said Seeler. “But I never lost my confidence as a hockey player or as an athlete when I left the Wild. I knew how much hard work I put int this game.”

Only a day after the Wild placed Seeler on waivers, he was claimed by the Chicago Blackhawks. 

“At the end of the day, it was so cool to see Nick playing for the Wild, but hockey, especially in the NHL, is a business,” said Dan. “The Wild made a business decision, but he grew from it.”

While in Chicago, Seeler had a bumpy ride. He was placed on waivers twice in five days, ultimately having his contract terminated on January 27th, 2021.

“Every player has their ups and their downs, but at the end of the day you have to work for your next meal,” said Seeler. “I knew that would have never stopped me from getting better.”

With 183 hits, 13 total points, three trips to the minors, and being placed on waivers three times in his first five years in the league, Seeler’s hopes for staying on an NHL roster looked slim. Seeler sat at home for six months straight during the NHL offseason - waiting for a call from a team.

“He was always a talented player, but he was always a hard-nosed physical guy, he is always a team player, and he never takes the game lightly,” said Dan. “He’s always had a “no-quit type of attitude, there was never a time in his life where he wanted to quit.”

In two out of the six months that Seeler stayed home, Stanley Cup Playoffs went on. A time where teams bulk up and toughen up their roster for that chance to make a run for the Stanley Cup. 

Before the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Boston Bruins acquired the 6-foot-5 defenseman Josh Brown from the Ottawa senators. Similar to Seeler, Brown’s game comes outside of the stat sheet. The London, Ontario native blocked 62 shots in 2021 with 22 coming in the playoffs for the Bruins.

After seeing what Brown could do for the Bruins in the playoffs, their Eastern Conference foes turned to Seeler on July 28th, 2021.

Five years after Seeler signed his entry-level contract, the Philadelphia Flyers took a chance on him - signing him to a base $750,000 standard contract.

In Philadelphia, Seeler took off running with his game. 

With an essence of the broad street bullies lingering in his play, Seeler blocked 67 shots and executed 75 hits in his first season in the black and orange. Those numbers have only ballooned during his next two seasons.

In his second and third season in Philadelphia, the homegrown Minnesotan blocked 366 shots and laid 258 hits on opposing players. Becoming the biggest bruiser on the Flyers. 

“Philadelphia is the best place on Earth, they’re the best organization in the league,” said Seeler. “I love my teammates, the staff, the fans, all of it, I love being here, it feels like home.”

If it’s fishing and playing horseshoes in northern Canada with his dad, playing hockey with his two older sisters outside, or golfing with his dad at Bearpath Country Club in Minnesota, Nick will compete. 

Nick wants to win at any game on or off the ice. He wants to work hard. He wants to compete. He wants to earn his success.

“He has a huge heart, he is a great son, a great brother, and a great uncle,” said Dan while choking on tears. “He embraces life off the ice, it’s hard sometimes to connect him to such a physical game of hockey, but any chance I get to spend time with my son, I cherish.”

This season, Nick was awarded for all that hard-work he has put in. Philadelphia granted him a four-year $10.8 million contract extension. Nick happily signed.

"It means everything to me knowing I have put the work in for years on end," said Seeler. "I knew how far I have come and to put pen to paper was special for me. It was special being able to provide for my family, my wife, and myself.”

Nick will join the Flyers this October for the start of the 2024-2025 season under his first earned contract extension.

Seeler’s hard work had paid off. The Flyers were his home.