Lucas Raymond

[Roomba With a Bauer]

Raymond driving his own line really adds a dimension to this team.

It really does. I love seeing DBC-Larkin-Kane and that line is really only possible if Raymond can be a consistent play driver. Totally changes the team.

 

[schuelma24]

 

[Detroit Knights]

PS. If you want to discuss Kane, we can do so in kane's thread. Let's keep this one for Raymond.

this is about to get awkward....

 

[heyfolks]

His interview on Empty Netters was a fun watch.

 

[14ari13]

Raymond has been great. Unfortunately Rasmussen and Compher still don't understand his game. We will see if they figure it out.

 

[Henkka]

Best scoring forwards playing on ELC:

1. DET Lucas Raymond, 61 games, 17+34 = 51 points
2. CAR Seth Jarvis, 61 games, 19+29 = 48 points
3. LAK Quinton Byfield, 58 games, 18+28 = 46 points
4. DAL Wyatt Johnston, 63 games, 19+24 = 43 points
5. CHI Connor Bedard, 48 points, 17+24 = 41 points
6. ANA Mason McTavish, 52 games, 17+23 = 40 points

 

[norrisnick]

Ray now leads the Wings in scoring. No one this young has done so since Yzerman.

We'll see how the rest of the season plays out...

 

[19 for president]

Ray now leads the Wings in scoring. No one this young has done so since Yzerman.

We'll see how the rest of the season plays out...

I think this year has shown that we may have a very special player on our hands. His compete level down the stretch has been fantastic to see and he has developed into a really solid all around player. Playmaker, shooter, physical and getting better and better defensively as the days go by.

I think Stevie will go short term on his contract but I wouldn't be upset to see him locked up for 8 either.

 

[raymond23]

Leading scorer

 

[FabricDetails]

One of the few with some heart/soul in their play right now. I hadn't checked his plus minus in a while, holy crap. Definitely needs context but still.

 

[Oddbob]

On one hand he is scoring and playing decently, but should still be noted he has the worst plus/minus on the team. He does need to work on staying engaged in his own end, especially in games where he doesn't show up on the scoresheet. I don't think of him as lazy defensively, maybe more like not sure how to be good at it.

 

[ColdToiletSeats]

what does everyone think his contract is gonna look like?

 

[Pavels Dog]

On one hand he is scoring and playing decently, but should still be noted he has the worst plus/minus on the team. He does need to work on staying engaged in his own end, especially in games where he doesn't show up on the scoresheet. I don't think of him as lazy defensively, maybe more like not sure how to be good at it.

Should be noted he’s the youngest player on the team, and isn’t sheltered.

 

[OneMoreTry]

On one hand he is scoring and playing decently, but should still be noted he has the worst plus/minus on the team. He does need to work on staying engaged in his own end, especially in games where he doesn't show up on the scoresheet. I don't think of him as lazy defensively, maybe more like not sure how to be good at it.

As already mentioned, he's a youngster - and the line combinations/ roster construction we have, isn't ideal. Playing him with Larkin all the time would be best, because Larks is a two-way player..and then you would need a second two-way guy, best case a bigger, more physical forward (yes, the kind of player that the Wings have not managed to sign since.. forever.. ), to round out that line.. and then you probably give up less goals, when Ray is on the ice.

Plus, he'll continue to grow, in all areas, including defense. I'd be concerned (and not so positive about extending him long term) if he'd lazy, lacking effort, stuff like that. But the guy is feisty, doesn't back down, stays on the ice even after very hard hits.. so I guess you can grow him into (at least) a "solid" player on the defensive side.. and with his offense, he should be a clear plus in the future.

 

[Henkka]

what does everyone think his contract is gonna look like?

Something a lot less than Tim Stutzle.

 

[Oddbob]

Should be noted he’s the youngest player on the team, and isn’t sheltered.

Doesn't mean he doesn't need to improve.

 

[Perfect Human]

With a championship roster, he is 2nd line RW based on his play this year. He is only 21.

The next 3-4 years of development are critical.

He needs to be in a winning environment with like minded players. I think there are some good vets on the team, but few like minded players. Most definitely him, Larkin, Kane, and maybe Fischer have that laser drive focus and try to put the team on their backs.

Need more.

 

[norrisnick]

As already mentioned, he's a youngster - and the line combinations/ roster construction we have, isn't ideal. Playing him with Larkin all the time would be best, because Larks is a two-way player..and then you would need a second two-way guy, best case a bigger, more physical forward (yes, the kind of player that the Wings have not managed to sign since.. forever.. ), to round out that line.. and then you probably give up less goals, when Ray is on the ice.

Plus, he'll continue to grow, in all areas, including defense. I'd be concerned (and not so positive about extending him long term) if he'd lazy, lacking effort, stuff like that. But the guy is feisty, doesn't back down, stays on the ice even after very hard hits.. so I guess you can grow him into (at least) a "solid" player on the defensive side.. and with his offense, he should be a clear plus in the future.

Ray's defensive play isn't the problem. It's the Perrons, Kanes, Fabbris, etc... that have rotated on and off his line.

Note that Ray is seeing SH shifts and is put on the ice with Cop and Ras to close out games in 5 on 6 situations.

 

[OneMoreTry]

Oh, I won't argue against the fact that we have a bunch of players who are a minus on D, not only Ray, and that some are bigger headaches than him, even though he has the worst +- on the team. Especially Perron just needs to be gone, I can already see myself completely freak out if we re-sign that guy..

 

[ricky0034]

Raymond is -10 in the 6 games since Larkin got injured

which is literally half of his negative +/- on the season and shows just how silly hyperfocusing on it can be, especially since Larkin himself has a negative +/- and is his most common linemate

 

[OneMoreTry]

..which could lead you to the conclusion, that Larkin would be a clear plus, were he constantly playing with two other two-way forwards. But he's rarely having those, it's almost always the opposite (for his whole career, actually..) - he's usually playing with guys who are defensively worse than him. So he's supposed to drive his linemates on offense while at the same time making up for their mistakes on defense. Amazing..

Even more importantly, all our forwards +- suffers from the dumpster fire we call defense. Imagine switching Larkin onto the Canes 1st line, which has guys like Burns, Slavin, Skjei behind them most of the time (and quality depth down to the 3rd pair). I'm pretty sure how it would look like. Maybe not equally good, because Aho is better than Larkin, but the difference won't be as huge as one could possibly think, when comparing the two teams points and standing.

 

[RedWingzz]

what does everyone think his contract is gonna look like?

3x6 or 8x7.5...depends if Yzerman is gonna bridge

 

[Perfect Human]

Reading this thread I can gather two things:

Lucas Raymond is good at hockey.

Lucas Raymond is bad at hockey.

Now I am confused.

 

[Konnan511]

I am willing to admit, that as of right now Holtz<Raymond, and I may have been wrong about the whole Holtz Holtz baby thing.

 

[ShanahanMan]

That shot was sick as f***