MUST READ: MORITZ SEIDER LOSES $250,000 ON FRIENDLY TEAM BET GONE WRONG — ‘I’LL STICK TO HOCKEY FROM NOW ON’…read more…
In a light-hearted yet eyebrow-raising twist to the Detroit Red Wings’ offseason, star defenseman Moritz Seider reportedly lost a staggering $250,000 on a friendly wager with teammates — a story that has both stunned fans and reminded everyone that even NHL stars aren’t immune to the occasional misstep off the ice.
According to several anonymous sources within the Red Wings locker room, the 23-year-old Seider made a playful bet with a group of teammates during a team golf outing in early May. The challenge? A winner-takes-all putting competition that escalated quickly into a high-stakes affair as the playful trash talk turned serious.
What started as a harmless $100 side game between Seider and fellow defenseman Jake Walman ballooned into a team-wide contest — with players pooling money, doubling down, and eventually raising the stakes to a level few expected. By the final hole, Seider, who had been confidently leading the pack, found himself in a head-to-head tiebreaker with Dylan Larkin. One miss, one perfectly read green later, and the result was set: Seider owed a quarter of a million dollars to a very amused Red Wings captain.
“I’ll be honest — I got carried away,” Seider said with a grin during a press availability after a team practice at Little Caesars Arena. “I thought I had it in the bag. My putter was hot, the guys were chirping, and I said, ‘Why not?’ Next thing I know, I’m writing the biggest check of my life for a golf game I didn’t win.”
The team, while tight-lipped on exact details, confirmed the story was all in good fun and part of an offseason team-building event designed to bring the group closer ahead of a crucial season.
Head coach Derek Lalonde laughed when asked about the incident.
“I told them to take team bonding seriously — maybe not *that* seriously,” Lalonde joked. “But hey, if losing a little money brings the team together and keeps morale high, I’ll take it. Just as long as nobody bets the team jet next time.”
While the sum may sound outrageous to outsiders, for an NHL player like Seider — who is still on his entry-level deal but is expected to receive a major contract extension soon — it’s more a lesson in humility than financial catastrophe.
Still, Seider admitted the loss stung more for his pride than his bank account.
“I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I was just standing there like, ‘How did I blow a three-stroke lead in a putting contest?’” Seider said, shaking his head. “That’s when I told the guys, ‘Okay, I’m officially sticking to hockey from now on.’”
Fans reacted with a mix of amusement and admiration for Seider’s willingness to poke fun at himself. The story quickly went viral on social media, with hashtags like #SeiderSlice and #BettingBlunder trending among Red Wings faithful.
Even Larkin, the reported winner of the bet, couldn’t resist joining in on the teasing.
“He’s got a bright future in the NHL — maybe not so much on the PGA Tour,” Larkin quipped during a Q&A on Instagram Live. “But hey, that $250,000 is going to look great framed on my wall.”
The team has since used the story to reinforce positive locker room chemistry, and insiders say it’s only strengthened the bond among players ahead of training camp.
“This is one of those things that makes hockey great,” said Red Wings analyst and former player Larry Murphy. “These guys are competitors, whether it’s on the ice, the golf course, or the card table. Seider may have lost a bet, but he won over a lot of fans with how he handled it.”
As for what Seider plans to do next? Focus on the ice, and maybe get some putting lessons in the offseason.
“I’m sticking to power plays and penalty kills,” he joked. “But I’m not letting Larks off easy. He better watch his back — the rematch is coming. Maybe for lunch money next time.”
While the $250,000 bet may go down in team folklore, it’s also a reminder that even the brightest stars can have a very human — and humorous — moment. For Moritz Seider and the Red Wings, it was just another step in building the camaraderie that could carry them far this season.