Detroit Red Wings: Can Lucas Raymond produce as he did in rookie year?

The Detroit Red Wings selected Lucas Raymond in the first round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, where he was chosen to be the future of this team. So far, it’s looked like he’s one of the team’s future stars after being a bright spot during the 2021-22 season.

Though he was snubbed from the Calder Trophy nominations, the Detroit Red Wings know that he will be a genuine threat to the opposition for years to come. As soon as he got to the National Hockey League (NHL), Raymond put on a show and has been a real treat for the Red Wings and their fanbase.

From his first goal to his first hat trick, the 2021-22 season was a great start to his career. Raymond showed a lot of signs that he will carry the ability to keep performing like this as his career continues.

Looking ahead to the 2022-23 season, there are going to be questions if Raymond can put up the same type of performance once again. The early thoughts point to yes. Especially after not trying to fight to make the team out of camp, he can be comfortable, focusing on development and bouncing back strong in his sophomore campaign.

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond will continue to excel.

Even if Raymond was left out of the Calder conversation, Raymond pieced together a heck of a rookie season, and any Red Wings fan should be happy. Raymond played in all 82 games for the Red Wings in 2021-22, where he scored 23 goals with 34 assists for 57 points.

There is more than enough belief to think that Raymond can be a 30-30 guy moving forward. Possibly even a forward who could sniff 40 goals if he winds up being a massive scoring threat.

But it seems that Raymond’s M.O. will be that of a playmaker. I think there is every bit of a belief that Raymond can continue this type of performance, especially in year two. He will stick with it and be the same player the Red Wings have become accustomed to during his rookie campaign.

Expecting Raymond to continue to grow and continue to be a scoring threat is more than acceptable, and in 2022-23, he’s got to be aiming to perform the same, if not better.

The 2022-23 season is not even on the horizon yet, but looking at Raymond, he will keep killing it. The future of Red Wings hockey is bright, and Raymond is one of the reasons.