The Detroit Red Wings are returning from a season-long six-game road trip that saw them go 4-1-1 to improve their record to 18-12-3 through 33 games, with a home matchup with the New York Islanders awaiting them on Tuesday evening.
Alex DeBrincat is making noise with his start to the season as the Michigan native makes his team USA Olympic push, the Patrick Kane 500th goal watch is on, as he sits two away at 498, Moritz Seider’s season if off to a dazzling start at both ends of the rink, but currently flying under the radar is the start of former first round pick in 2020 Lucas Raymond.
Through 31 games played, Raymond has posted 10 goals and 24 assists, currently on pace to best his previous high of 80 points set last season. Playing alongside Dylan Larkin and Emmitt Finnie on the team’s top line, the 23-year-old only continues to improve his play in all facets of the game, sitting second on the team in points, only trailing DeBrincat who has 37.
Raymond’s rookie year with the Red Wings gave fans hope that they found a cornerstone at number four overall in the 2020 draft, but a bit of a sophomore slump in year two, which only saw Raymond post 45 points in 74 games, left some worry for concern. Raymond rebounded with two straight 82-game seasons that saw his point totals come in at 72 and 80 points, respectively.
It isn’t just the points that Raymond is on pace to notch career highs in. Raymond has seen a big boost in his plus/minus, an impressive feat on a team that has a negative goal differential to this point in 2025-26.
Sitting at a plus-seven on the season, Raymond continues to take steps each year in his defensive zone play as the forward has seen his plus/minus over his first four seasons come in at -32, -17, -12, and -15.
Tied for 22nd in the NHL in points, Raymond is also becoming one of the top Swedish-born skaters, currently tied for second among all Swedes in total points. Raymond was a part of the Four Nations roster last February and will get another chance on the International stage this February when the Olympics roll around.
Others speak highly of Lucas Raymond
In game number two of the regular season on Oct. 4, during a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raymond notched career goal number 100, a nice milestone for the Red Wings’ forward. After the game, Patrick Kane spoke to the media about the growth of Raymond, “I think he’s just progressing every day, every game. Each year I’ve been here, he just gets better and better,” Kane said. “The thing you love about him is that he wants to be the best. He puts the work in, whether it’s during practice or off the ice. He’s always finding ways to better himself, so he’s been really impressive since I’ve been here.”
A big step in the development of the young forward was given when head coach Todd McLellan named Raymond and Seider full-time alternate captains for the 2025-26 season. The Red Wings have been rotating through players wearing the “A” for years now, something McLellan felt had run its course.
“When I got here last year, I knew Larkin was the captain but we had six, seven rotating alternates and I didn’t even know who wore them on a given night,” McLellan said. “We're Original Six, all my years here there was a clear definition of who was going to wear the “A”, so that’s what were going with.”
Somewhat quietly going under the radar is the strong start of Raymond as he looks to help get the Red Wings back to the playoffs for the first time in his five-year career.