Tag: Lucas Raymond

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The Detroit Red Wings emerge from their rebuild a confident, hungry group

The sun is breaking through the dark clouds of a long rebuild over Little Caesars Arena. The Detroit Red Wings under the watchful eyes of it’s architect, general manager Steve Yzerman, are emerging from a long rebuild. There is still a lot of work to be done. The team needs to go out and win more games than they lose. While the playoffs likely remain out of reach this season, the Red Wings are a confident, hungry group and aim to play like it.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 07: Elmer Soderblom #85 of the Detroit Red Wings celebrates his second period goal with teammates while playing the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena on October 07, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 4-2. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

26 points. That is how many the Detroit Red Wings need to make up in order to be in the playoff conversation. That is a large number. For a team and organization that is all but set to resume it’s winning ways, 26 points is a lot to make up. The team’s focus should be on closing that gap this season.

When Derek Lalonde was introduced as the 28th head coach in Detroit Red Wings history, he said over and over the team must be better defensively as the Red Wings have been ranked at or near the bottom the past several seasons. This preseason the Red Wings looked better in the defensive end.

For a Detroit hockey team that was above .500 last February only to come undone, more consistent play is needed. The Red Wings have some of their top prospects (Lucas Raymond, Elmer Soderblom, Mortiz Seider) set to impact on ice this season. Raymond is looking for an encore to a rookie season that saw him post 23 goal, 34 assists with 57 points.

BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 4: Motitz Seider #53 of the Detroit Red Wings checks against Tomas Nosek #92 of the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on November 4, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Mortiz Seider is also looking for an encore to a rookie seasons that saw him morph into one of the best defensive players in the NHL and win the Calder as the league’s top rookie. 7 goals, 43 assists with 50 points and Seider is barely scratching the surface of what he can do.

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said that he expects the team to fight all season, and at the trade deadline instead of shipping players out, bring some in.

The Detroit Red Wings rebuild is nearly all but finished. Now the march towards making up 26 points in the standing begins. This should be a fun season in Hockeytown.

 

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The Detroit Red Wings select Lucas Raymond in the first round

How’s your mock draft? Detroit Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman does not care, neither does Director of Amateur Scouting Kris Draper. For the second year in a row Yzerman and Draper picked the player they feel can “move the needle.” Of all the names linked and mocked to the Red Wings with the No. 4 overall pick, not one person had them taking Swedish forward Lucas Raymond.

The rebuilding Detroit Red Wings have needs up and down the roster. Sure Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Hroneck and a couple others give the Red Wings good players to build around. The key word is build. Detroit GM Steve Yzerman said it will take time.

Steve Yzerman is not afraid to throw curveballs at experts. Many had the Red Wings taking other players. Until Yzerman made the pick and surprised many. One thing, the Detroit Red Wings got a player who is elite and will add offense to a team in need of it from the second line to the fourth line.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JUNE 22: (L-R) Steve Yzerman and Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings attends the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Lucas Raymond, my goodness what a player the 5′ 11″ Swedish forward is. What exactly are the Red Wings getting in Raymond? Let’s take a look. For starters Raymond is an excellent skater. Raymond has outstanding speed and fantastic acceleration.

As for Raymond’s offensive game he uses his speed very well and has very good stickhandling skills. The young forward is rarely rattled and plays with  poise beyond his years.

Lucas reads the play extremely well, He is also above average at anticipating when a teammate will be open for a scoring chance. Raymond has a good solid wrist shot and a quick release. His quick hands allow him to change the angle on his shot and fool goaltenders.

Defensively Lucas Raymond plays all three zones. His size and lack of upper body strength can at times expose some weakness. Something the Red Wings will ask him to clean up when he plays this coming season in Sweden.

This was a very good pick by Yzerman and his scouting department. Raymond is very happy to join the organization who has had it’s fair share of great Swedish hockey players over the years.

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The Detroit Red Wings will pick fourth in the 2020 NHL Draft

Embed from Getty Images Let’s get this out of the way, the NHL lottery is flawed. The Detroit Red Wings who were the worst team in the COVID-19 shortened NHL regular season are picking #4 while a playoff team will have the first pick in the draft it boarders on a joke. That said in a very deep, very talented the Detroit Red Wings are in position to get a player who can help the rebuild.

Detroit Red Wings general manager said that he and his scouting department are not looking at one key area on the team. Yzerman said he wants a player who will “move the needle.”

The Detroit hockey team is in need of scoring. With young defensive players moving up in the minors, offense would be an area the Red Wings could look at with the teams top five draft pick. So who could that player be?

Right Wing-Lucas Raymond is a player who both should be there when Detroit picks and a player who can help quickly. Raymond  who is 5-11, 170  plays a strong two way game with excellent vision, intensity and a good wrist shot. The 18 year old is regarded as having a nose for the net and has shown himself to be a tremendous asset on the power play and the penalty kill. Raymond is an An explosive winger who is equally dangerous with his shot or pass. Lucas moves with quickness and handles the puck at a high level even at top speed. His puck skills are fluid, controlled and capable of embarrassing defensive players.

Another player who should be there is Center/ Left Wings, Cole Perfetti. The Red Wings need offense Perfetti could be their guy. Not only is he a deadly shooter, but he also uses his smarts to dish off when the opportunity arises. Perfetti is an excellent puck handler with great puck skills, vision and execution are on another level. Perfetti is elusive and can turn on a dime, evading checks and giving himself time and space to utilize his offensive arsenal. He has incredible hockey IQ and a feel for the game, can slow the play down to his pace, draw the attention of every defender and finds a pass no one else in the arena sees coming.

Either Raymond or Perfetti will be there when Detroit picks. For an organization in need of offense, I look to one of these guys as a strong possibility to wear a Winged Wheel after the first round of the 2020 NHL Darft.