The 2025-26 Detroit Red Wings season was another day in the office for Lucas Raymond.
The 2020 fourth overall pick played up to his standards last season, compiling 25 goals and 51 assists for 76 points in 81 games -- nearly a point per game. This was Raymond's second-best of his career. He thrived on the international stage as well, posting nine points in five games with Team Sweden at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
While these numbers are great in every sense of the word, it's clear that Raymond still has some extra fuel left in his tank. He can (and ideally will) hit higher numbers in the future. The question, however, remains the same:
What can the Red Wings do to ensure Lucas Raymond soars to even higher heights?
Red Wings front office wants Raymond to shoot more
Very few Red Wings can count themselves as part of the solution last season. Raymond is one of just a handful. The 24-year-old received plenty of compliments from head coach Todd McLellan throughout the season, but one thing he said he'd like to see more is Raymond firing at the net.
"As far as shooting and the ability to get his shot off, I'm a real big believer in his shot and in his tool kit, that may be one of the best things that he has and that he brings to the game," McLellan said. "We've talked about it, not just at the end of the season, obviously, throughout the season. If you just take his shooting percentage and you throw in an extra 100 shots, which I think he's very capable of, we have a 40-goal scorer."Â
If Raymond scored an extra 15 goals, he'd have ended the season with 91 points in 81 games -- a feat that McLellan believes is entirely possible. Adding another 40 goal-scorer to the roster without having to make any major fundamental changes would be a massive boon to this team.
The Red Wings finished last season with a -17 goal differential. With Raymond's hypothetical extra 15 goals, they'd be at -2 -- a massive improvement over the Anaheim Ducks (-15) and Los Angeles Kings (-22).
But that's not the only way they can get more out of Raymond.
How the Red Wings can bolster Raymond's point totals
It's clear that Raymond and captain Dylan Larkin have a lot of chemistry together. What would take them to the next level, however, is an extra high-end line mate. While it's unlikely they find one through free agency, the chance of securing one via trade is always a possibility.
Sure, Emmitt Finnie is a perfectly serviceable player in his own right, but spreading him to another line may open up extra scoring across the lineup. Imagine having three legitimate lines where players like Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Finnie and even Marco Kasper can attack the opposition. If general manager Steve Yzerman can find Raymond some extra help on the wing, the sky's the limit for the high-end forward.
When Raymond was drafted in 2020, he received player comparisons to Mitch Marner. If Raymond can hit those numbers - especially in the playoffs like Marner is doing this year - the Red Wings might have a legitimate star forward on their hands.
Grade: A-
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