At his best, Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond is among the top wingers in the NHL. At his lowest, he's still scoring at around a point-per-game clip. It cannot be stressed how integral Raymond is to this roster. Yet, despite this, Raymond was on the receiving end of quite a bit of criticism this season regarding his shots (or lack thereof).
During a press conference with general manager Steve Yzerman, head coach Todd McLellan was asked about Lucas Raymond's offensive mentality and if he can help from a goal-scoring sense.
"Very few players at this time of the year are 100% healthy," McLellan began. "He was banged up. As fa as shooting and the ability to get a shot off, I'm a big believer in his shot and his toolkit. That might be one of the best things that he has. If he threw in an extra 100 shots, we've got a 40 goal-scorer on our hands."
The 2025-26 season was the first time the Red Wings had a 40 goal-scorer since the 2008-09 season. This year, Alex DeBrincat was the champion, putting up his first 40+ goal season since his time with the Chicago Blackhawks. Getting not one, but two 40 goal-scorers for this roster would be one of the best ways the Red Wings can generate more even-strength scoring next season.
How Lucas Raymond can become a 40 goal-scorer
Raymond is a pass-first player. If he sees an opening, he'll do what he can to set up his linemates for a goal. Earlier this season, head coach Todd McLellan requested that he shoot the puck more. "He's a very unselfish guy," McLellan added, "but sometimes you have to take the shot rather than looking on. Like [Steve Yzerman] said, that's something we have to work on."
Should the Red Wings tweak Raymond's game and encourage a little selfishness out of him, they'll have more help for Dylan Larkin on the top line. If they can find a consistent playmaker to join the duo at the top, there's a very strong chance the Red Wings will have three 30 goal-scorers on the roster (Raymond, DeBrincat and Larkin). The team, per Steve Yzerman, needs all the help they can get on the offensive end of things.
What McLellan's quotes say about Raymond
If it wasn't abundantly clear by now, the Red Wings believe in Lucas Raymond. Despite some suggesting the Red Wings trade away a core piece, Raymond isn't going anywhere. He's as integral to this team as Moritz Seider and Dylan Larkin, one of the key building blocks around which the team will construct a true contender.
If McLellan wants Raymond to play a little more selfishly, then, by all means, Raymond should seize the opportunity.
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