With uncertainty plaguing the Detroit Red Wings all summer, Lucas Raymond has a chance to dramatically flip the script.
Detroit only finished 22nd in scoring in 2025-26; Raymond is one of its most talented young wingers, and head coach Todd McLellan believes Raymond can take things up another gear.
Via Ansar Khan of MLive, McLellan discussed Raymond playing on the same line with Alex DeBrincat, who played alongside Andrew Copp and Patrick Kane last season. Regarding the Copp line’s production in 2025-26 and Raymond joining it throughout the duration of the preseason, McLellan said:
“They (Copp’s line) were our best line down the stretch last year; it wasn’t even close really from an offensive perspective, and then throw Razor into there, encourage him to shoot a little bit more, and now maybe we have something,”
McLellan is spot on, considering Raymond’s near-elite production but hesitancy to shoot the puck consistently. Raymond has 228 points and 83 goals over the past three seasons and has appeared in 244 games. He also has 528 shots on goal, or 2.16 per contest.
That pales when compared to DeBrincat, who has 768, or 3.12, nearly one more shot on net per game than Raymond. DeBrincat also has 107 goals and 222 total points in that same span.
Lucas Raymond Could Become An Elite Scorer For The Red Wings
Here’s another stat worth keeping tabs on: Raymond has a 15.7 shooting percentage compared to DeBrincat’s 13.9 since the beginning of 2023-24. While there are no guarantees that shooting the puck more would keep Raymond’s shooting percentage threatening the 16.0 mark, it indicates he has the potential to be just as, if not more, prolific a scorer than DeBrincat.
Considering DeBrincat’s 41 goals in 2025-26, that would be a tough act for Raymond to follow. But the potential is there if he averaged just one more shot on net per game. Chances are, he would hit a shooting percentage somewhere between 14.1 and 14.5 percent, which were his respective percentages over the past two seasons.
Raymond hit the 14.1 percent mark when he posted a career-high of 192 shots on goal. Still, shooting percentage is something few put much stock into if adding another shot on goal per game translates into a 35-plus-goal season. Raymond could convert under 10 percent, and few would care.
Raymond Would Bolster Detroit’s Scoring, But More Players Must Pitch In
A high-octane Lucas Raymond would make an immediate impact. But in the early going, Detroit must find ways to replace Patrick Kane’s and Dylan Larkin’s production. Kane returned to Chicago, and Larkin is slated to miss the season opener vs. the New York Rangers.
With the Larkin injury and trade saga ongoing, there are plenty of opportunities for players like Emmitt Finnie, Marco Kasper, and Nate Danielson to make an impact. Veteran Viktor Arvidsson is a reliable veteran, but he’s not part of the young core Detroit is looking to roll with.
DeBrincat has already proved what he was capable of, Raymond has shown the potential to go from good to great, and Larkin will be productive if and when he’s back in the lineup. Regardless, Raymond stepping up his game could send shockwaves down the rest of the lineup. Should that occur, the Red Wings could surprise early.
Red Wings Need More From Lucas Raymond in One Key Area