Every offseason, the NHL releases its top-20 list. From wingers to centers to defenders and goaltenders, the members of NHL's internal media outlet rank who they believe to be the top-20 players at any given position.
This time around, the Detroit Red Wings have a claim to fame on the winger front.
Introducing NHL Network's list of the Top 20 Wings Right Now! #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/UknQLJfkbp
August 3, 2026Raymond comes in at the number 20 spot, just behind Brady Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers and Cutter Gauthier of the Anaheim Ducks. While a strange spot given Raymond's consistency, it's certainly a win, as he was bizarrely snubbed in last season's rankings.
What's strange, though, is the odd omission of Alex DeBrincat, who led the Red Wings in goals and points last season. The 41-goal, 85-point forward, per the NHL's rankings, apparently didn't do enough to leapfrog Brady Tkachuk, who finished last season with 22 goals and 59 points.
What Lucas Raymond did to earn top-20 honors
It's perfectly fair to put Raymond in the top-20 of all wingers in the NHL. After all, he's been nothing short of consistent following his sophomore slump, posting at least 72 points over the last three seasons. This time around, he capped off his campaign with 25 goals and 51 assists for 76 points in 80 games.
Next season, head coach Todd McLellan hopes he'll shoot the puck more. "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
In a hypothetical world, if Raymond added an extra 15 goals on this last season, he'd be at 91 points. Not bad for a top-line winger.
Unclear why Alex DeBrincat was snubbed
What more does Alex DeBrincat have to prove to get on a list like this? He finished last season 11th among all skaters in goals. He led the Red Wings in points. Tkachuk, as stated earlier, ended the season with 59 points. Cutter Gauthier, his competition, also ended the season with 41 goals, but just 28 assists -- bringing his point totals to 69 points in 76 games. DeBrincat is substantially better at generating offense than Gauthier at this point in their respective careers.
As with every year, the NHL media's lists are as perplexing as they are frustrating.
Here's to hoping they don't put Moritz Seider somewhere outside the top-10.
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