Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill spoke in no uncertain terms when asked what Lucas Raymond must do to make the Red Wings’ roster out of training camp, as noted by Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff:
“You should walk out of a game and feel like he was one of the better players on the ice,” Blashill said. “It should be clear to my wife that he should be on the team.”
Blashill clearly was having some fun with his answer. He added: “By the way, my wife, that’s not a slight on her. She knows hockey pretty well. She’s been around a long time. She should be able to pick out who the best players are. “
Blashill’s point is Raymond has to make it obvious that he deserves a spot on the team. He can’t just have a slight advantage over a veteran player. He needs to prove he can have a significant impact, not just look dangerous offensively now and then.
“It’s just the reality of it,” Blashill said. “It shouldn’t be a hard decision. Because here’s the thing – if guys are equal, then you keep your depth by starting a guy like Lucas Raymond in the minors and letting him earn his way back on the team.”
