The Athletic’s Max Bultman offers 5 training camp observations this afternoon. Among them:
If there was one player I was eager to see coming into this training camp, it was Lucas Raymond. He’s likely going to be the biggest X-factor for the Red Wings season, and I’ve picked him to be the team’s breakout player. After five days, I thought his training camp reinforced that belief.
Raymond looked quick, slippery and dangerous — and just so happened to score the game-winning goal on the last small-ice three-on-three game of camp Monday morning. That goal drew a game-like celebration from his teammates, and is exactly the kind of moment you want to see from a player coming off a sophomore slump in 2022-23 into an important season.
The biggest talking point, of course, has been his added strength, up 12 pounds from his listed weight last season. Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde pointed to puck battles, staying on his feet more, and keeping plays alive as ways that added strength could show up in his game this fall.
Certainly, Raymond’s calling card is what he can do with the puck on his stick, and being able to fend off defenders to keep it or win battles to get it back both further that.
I thought Raymond was again quite noticeable in the Red and White game Sunday too, which is the closest thing to true game speed we saw here, but the preseason will offer an even better viewing. Lalonde said Raymond will start out next to Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat in the exhibition opener at home Tuesday night against Pittsburgh.
Continued (paywall)
