Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond’s audition for a spot on the top line with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin begins tomorrow night vs. Pittsburgh, as Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen notes:
“He does look stronger,” Lalonde said. “He’s taken a step physically. Credit to him. Now it’s just translating it into his play.”
The Red Wings believe Raymond could be more productive offensively if he can play grit.
“He physically looks bigger, thicker, he’s put some weight on,” Lalonde said. “But we don’t need him putting weight on for weight, we just need him to be stronger. I think just naturally it’s happening. Those puck battles, staying on his feet, winning a few more of those battles, keeping plays alive. He’s a guy that can produce offense, can make plays. Him being a little stronger and winning a few more of those battles.”
Lalonde said he may use the entire preseason to experiment with lines.
“Just the way the exhibition games play out,” Lalonde said. “We play three in four and three games in a row, day off and then the last game of the year. We’d probably like to have our group by that last exhibition game and probably a few extra guys hanging around then and make a decision off that game. That’s probably the target.”
Continued; coach Lalonde says that he “isn’t married” to any of the lineup combinations, but regardless of whether Raymond plays with DeBrincat and Larkin, or it’s David Perron, it should work well for the Wings.
