Germany - Is likely a regular fixture in Mannheim's line-up playing against adults. Maybe not as easy to get to for scouting and training, but it is 2019 and they've got lots of ways to keep up on that stuff without him being right around the corner...
Did some stat-watch for Mannheim about their last season stats and summer moves.
Adler Mannheim did win the German Championhip at last season. They also were 1st seed after regular season. So it's a really strong team.
Defence at Last season
Regular season Ice-Times:
1. LD Joonas Lehtivuori, 19:12 (41 games)
2. LD Sinan Akdag, 18:49 (52 games)
3. LD Mark Katic, 18:31 (51 games)
4. RD Thomas Larkin, 18:00 (33 games) (not related to Dylan Larkin)
5. LD Brendan Mikkelson, 16:48 (47 games)
6. RD Denis Reul, 16:42 (47 games)
7. RD Cody Lampl, 14:19 (34 games)
8. RD Moritz Seider, 12:13 (29 games)
9. LD/LW Janik Möser, 10:25 (23 games)
There was decent amount of injuries, so game amounts differed. 52 games was the maximum of regular season.
Playoff Ice-Times:
1. LD Joonas Lehtivuori, 20:06
2. RD Thomas Larkin, 18:52
3. LD Mark Katic, 18:37
4. LD Sinan Akdag, 18:28
5. RD Denis Reul, 18:08
6. LD Brendan Mikkelson 13:42
7. RD Moritz Seider, 11:49
----------------------------
8. RD Cody Lampl, 8:51
9. LD Janik Möser, 0:00
I'm quite sure this was the defenceman roster at playoffs:
LD Katic - RD Larkin
LD Akdag - RD Reul
LD Lehtivuori - LD Mikkelson
RD Seider
I don't know anything what happened throughout their season. Haven't seen a single game. I'm just stat-watching and googled some news.
Basic starting point is, that they went all games with 7 defenceman, like the normal way in Europe is. (+13th forward)
It seemed that TOP4-guy Sinan Akdag did get injured at the finals and missed 2 playoff games on their run. All others of the playing 7 played full 14 games, including Seider. Cody Lampl did dress for 2 games at the playoffs (to replace Akdag for final 2 games), but got less IT than Seider.
After the Akdag injury they went:
LD Katic - RD Larkin
LD Lehtivuori - RD Reul
LD Mikkelson -
RD Seider
RD Lampl
So that's a promising sign. Seider played less than Lampl during a regular season, but developed and started to get more role. And at playoffs, Seider was on the starting-7 and did play more in the finals when Lampl got his rare games.
***
For becoming 2019-20 season, Brendan Mikkelson has left the team, and they have added two LDs on the team. Other one is former Grand Rapids Griffin Chad Billins who comes from stronger SEL Linköping and other is Uwe Krupp's son Björn Krupp. He is also LhD.
LD Katic - RD Larkin
LD Akdag - RD Reul
LD Lehtivuori -
RD Seider
LD Billins - RD Lampl
LD Möser - LD Krupp
So they have now 10-man group. Billins was some kind of power-play specialist (?), so maybe they try to add another on their team. Krupp is nothing but defensive defenceman.
Krupp seems to be an extra add, maybe an incurance policy that they could preparing to be without Seider. There's one defenceman more than at last season's group. Or, it could just mean, that they want more depth because they are joining Champions Hockey league again at this year and play more games.
On that group, Seider should be their 3rd best RhD at least, if he already developed past Cody Lampl, like last season. Lampl is 33-years old not getting any younger. Their best RhD Thomas Larkin is in-prime player, but not very skilled. Seems to be good overall D. Another in-prime RhD Denis Reul is traditional tough defensive defenceman. I think these guys would not have real competition vs. Seider, if Moritz decides return to Mannheim.
I could see Seider battling toward a Top4 role, past Reul. Maybe starting from 3rd pair, but snapping 2nd pair role towards the playoffs.