Could Lucas Raymond make the Detroit Red Wings’ roster when the season begins on October 14th against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning? The left-winger lead all Red Wings players in points scored with six.
Lucas Raymond was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings fourth overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft out of Goteborg, Sweden. This was the draft that saw teams such as the Red Wings put themselves in the best position to be able to draft Alexis Lafreniere who was thought to be a once-in-a-generation type talent. This may have been a blessing in disguise for both Raymond and the Red Wings organization.
On this play, the 19-year-old showed that he can use his high hockey IQ to get to the open space on the ice to score a pretty goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. Lucas Raymond will look to get even more playing time as the NHL’s regular season draws closer. “My mindset was to do whatever I can to make the team and do the things I can control and impact and then it’s up to the staff to decide,” Raymond said.
Raymond was not always a lock to make the Detroit Red Wings roster for the 2021-2022 season. Bobby Ryan will likely be the odd man out if Raymond does prove to the Red Wings’ brass that he can play at the NHL level. This is the unfortunate reality of playing in the NHL. Ryan signed a professional tryout with the Red Wings after a 2020-2021 season that saw him score seven goals and seven assists in 33 games played.
The powerplay has been a sore spot for the Detroit Red Wings in the recent past. During the 2020-2021 season, the team was successful on only 11.4% percent of their powerplays. This was the second-worst percentage in the league during the season. Christian Djoos would break the streak after 40 consecutive powerplays without scoring. Something about the powerplay needed to change. Djoos will play for EV Zug of the Swiss National League as a former Stanley Cup champion with the Washington Capitals.
In defense of head coach Jeff Blashill, there is not a lot of high-end scoring talent on the current Red Wings roster. Blashill has been quoted as saying that “if you play great hockey, you won’t get denied.” Raymond has shown his ability to play great hockey albeit in a short time with the Detroit Red Wings. The 2021-2022 team could certainly use this ability to grow more confident as the rebuild continues.
Dan Bylsma spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings. The Grand Haven, Michigan native ran the powerplay for the Red Wings. During the 2021 offseason, he would leave the team for an assistant coach job with the Charlotte Checkers who are the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. The 51-year-old has had previous head coaching experience with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres. Bylsma was replaced by Alex Tanguay as an assistant coach after spending two seasons coaching the Iowa Wild.
Lucas Raymond among young prospects that could have an impact on the 2021-2022 Detroit Red Wings
Lucas Raymond is not the only young Red Wings prospect that could have an impact on the team during the 2021-2022 NHL season. Yzerman has said that Moritz Seider will have every opportunity to make the Red Wings roster on opening night. Our Larry Horn previously wrote that Yzerman was quoted as saying “If Moritz Seider isn’t in the top six, he won’t be watching from the press box. We have experience, depth, and are in a better position today than we were a year ago.” Seider will look to shock players on opposing teams in the same way that he was shocked that he was drafted sixth overall in the 2019 NHL draft.
The Detroit Red Wings will more than likely struggle again during the 2021-2022 NHL season as more of their young prospects continue to learn how to play at the minor league level. The two that will have every opportunity to shine in Hockeytown are Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. If Raymond does not make the Red Wings roster when the season starts, he can use the confidence that he has gained in the amount of time he has played with the big club.
Main image credit
