Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond gave Hockeysverige.se’s Uffe Bodin an insight to his busy summer, and here’s a rough translation of the interview:
The Summer that will unlock Lucas Raymond’s NHL potential
His talent on the ice is indisputable, but to achieve his potential in the NHL, Lucas Raymond has had to put on a few extra kilos of muscle. This summer, he put in the extra work to take a big step toward a big breakthrough with the Detroit Red Wings–and to become the next Swedish NHL star.
“It’s a nice feeling to know you have more to give,” says Raymond.
Stockholm. Physical training for a hockey player can be an extremely complex story, regardless of what kind of player you are. You want to build muscle mass to be able to withstand the trials of your opponents on the ice. At the same time, you must be able to maintain agility and explosiveness in skating, both be flexible and durable.
Perhaps it was the old great player Brendan Shanahan who summed it all up best when he once exclaimed the following when a reporter asked a stupid question:
“Is hockey hard? I don’t know, you tell me. We must have the strength and power of an American football player, the endurance of a marathon runner, and the concentration of a brain surgeon. But we have to combine all of this while moving at high speeds on a cold and slippery surface while five other guys use stick to try to kill us. Oh yeah, did I mention that we’re constantly standing on blades that are three millimeters wide? Is ice hockey hard? I don’t know, you can tell me. Next question.”
Perhaps it was the old great player Brendan Shanahan who summed it all up best when he once exclaimed the following when a reporter asked him a stupid question:
“Is hockey hard? I don’t know, you can tell me. We must have the strength and power of an American football player, the endurance of a marathon runner and the concentration of a brain surgeon. But we have to combine all this while moving at high speeds on a cold and slippery surface while five other guys use clubs to try to kill us. Oh yeah, did I mention we’re constantly standing on rails that are three millimeters thick? Is ice hockey hard? I don’t know, you can tell me. Next question.”
For a player like Lucas Raymond, physical development is his key to success. That will take him to the next level, and potentially make him an NHL star. The 21-year-old from Gothenburg has long since proved that he has the talent to become a world-class player. But it must be combined with the right physical attributes to fulfill all that potential.
“I will never be a player who lives and dies by my physical abilities, but if I can bring it up to a good level, it will of course make it easier,” says the Detroit Red Wings forward.
Lucas Raymond: “Not always so funny”
When Raymond entered the preseason after World Championship games with the Tre Kronor in Finland and Latvia, together with physical trainer Andreas Larsson, he set goals for the summer: Gain a couple of kilos of pure muscle; but at the same time, keep his agility and dynamism on the ice.
Complex, as I said.
“You have to be strong in yourself, but at the same time, be able to handle your body optimally on the ice,” says Andreas Larsson, a former skater at the elite level who, for many years, has been working with NHL players such as Kevin Fiala and Hampus Lindholm in addition to Lucas Raymond.
“Despite his relatively small height (179 cm), Lucas can both give and take on the ice,” he continues. “We’ve built strength from the inside out, making sure he’s strong in his trunk and joints so he can handle the body. Then we tried to develop his wits, and there he got faster and faster every year, both on and off the ice.”
Raymond laughs when training comes up. He states that it’s “not always so fun,” but necessary.
“That’s what you have to do. Andreas is very hands-on and trains very well. I have a very good relationship with him personally as well, which makes it easier. We have high ceilings and I like that we can challenge each other,” he says.
That challenge means that Andreas Larsson must dare to think visionarily.
“What these players (Raymond, Fiala and Lindholm) have in common is that they’re very determined,” he says. “They’re not just there to play in the NHL; they’re there to establish themselves and make a real impression. I’m getting started on that. It forces me to stretch the bow and philosophize about where hockey will be in three years to see how we can be at the forefront of their development. Because it’s not just about seeing them where they will be physically next season. You have to try to have a plan that allows them to be at their best and deliver until they’re 35, or even older.”
“You can call him any time”
Something that both Raymond and Larsson return to is the importance of including a competitive element in training, too. “In the training group that you have in Gothenburg, there’s healthy excitement, but in a healthy way,” says Raymond.
“I think it helps everyone. It’s tough if you have to train all by yourself. You always have to have someone or a few people to compete against. If you can be on the same physical level and spur each other on, it’s perfect,” says Lucas Raymond, who praises the collaboration with Andreas Larsson.
“He’s meant a lot to me. He’s been doing this for so long, and has a background as a skater himself, and he knows a lot about physical training. He’s been awesome there, but above all I’d say that we click on a personal level. I can call him at any time if I need to talk, get advice on diet or just want to take an extra practice session,” continues Raymond, who will be visited by Larsson during the season to train on site in Detroit.
And the goal that was set for the summer, how did it go? “Good” reveals physical trainer Larsson.
“He has become a couple of kilos heavier, while his body fat percentage is the same. So you can say he’s put on muscle mass in a good way. This is very reminiscent of Kevin Fiala and his journey. In the younger years, most players are a bit ‘puppyish,’ i.e. a bit more fragile. If you build a better ‘frame’ with more mass in the right way, you can protect yourself better and be more aggressive on the ice. It means that the player can usually become a little more offensive, get a little more scoring chances. That’s how it was for Kevin,” says Andreas Larsson about the LA Kings’ Swiss player, who has averaged over a point per game in the NHL in the last two seasons.
Hopes to start with Larkin and Debrincat
The work that Lucas Raymond has put in seems to be paying off early. When the Detroit Red Wings kicked off training camp recently, coach Derek Lalonde was quick to praise Lucas Raymond for his physical progress.
“It’s never been a question of him having to put on a lot of extra weight, but he has gained ‘good’ weight,” said Lalonde to the Detroit News. “His strength will come naturally. Sometimes you forget that these guys are so young and that their bodies are still developing.
Andreas Larsson is also hopeful about Raymond.
“My experience is that if a player can look at himself in the mirror after a summer and say, ‘I did everything in my power to get better, I trained well, ate well and wasn’t out and careless too much,'” then he can go into the season with a good mental feeling. I really think that Lucas will do that this year.”‘
The reward for Raymond looks set to come in the form of a chance to play his way onto the Red Wings’ presumed top line alongside good friend and captain Dylan Larkin, and the new acquisition from the Ottawa Senators, Alex DeBrincat. After 57 points in his rookie season and 45 last year, Raymond is looking for more–something he knows he’s capable of.
“It’s a nice feeling to know that you have more to give. I’m looking forward to this season. It felt like we took a step as a team last year, and if you compare how the team looked when I was in my first season and how it looks now, there’s a huge difference in everything from the leaders to the players. I hope to take a new step just like the team does, and I think that will go hand in hand,” he says.
It is often said that your second NHL season is tougher than the first. Did you experience it that way?
“Both yes and no. I learned a lot in my first year, but of course everything will be different. The first year you live a lot on adrenaline and everything is new. Then you think that you know everything, but discover quite quickly that you are learning new things all the time that help you develop. I learned a lot last year and will surely learn a lot this season as well.”
You’re also going to be a restricted free agent. Does that affect your attitude toward this season, that there is more to play for?
“No, I wouldn’t say that. It’s going to be fun and there’s a little excitement. For me, it’s more about focusing on playing the best hockey that I can, because then the rest will take care of itself. If you start thinking about contracts and stuff, then you can get stuck. My pressure upon myself is to play well and develop. It will lead into everything else as well.”
Is the goal to sign a long-term contract with the Red Wings immediately after the rookie contract expires?
“Tough question. I like Detroit a lot, I like the city, the team and our organization, of course I want to be here.”
“It seems magical”
The Detroit Red Wings finished twelve points out of the playoffs last year. The team has made a healthy investment during the summer to take the next step, and be counted on again. Players such as Shayne Gostisbehere, Jeff Petry, J.T. Compher, Daniel Sprong and not the least of which, the aforementioned Alex DeBrincat, have been brought in by GM Steve Yzerman.
“DeBrincat is a very good player with a very good resume when you look at what he’s done. Above all in goal-scoring. He’s a really good asset that we have. Also, he’s from Michigan, which helps. We brought in Andrew Copp last year, who has a connection here. It gives us a good foundation to stand on,” says Lucas Raymond.
Are the reinforcements enough to make the playoffs in the Atlantic Division?
“Every team hopes to make the playoffs. I’ve never played in them myself, but only watched it from the outside, and talked to people who were there. We have guys on our team who have won a Stanley Cup, and you hear what it’s like. Just from what I’ve seen and heard, it seems magical, and something you want to achieve,” says Lucas Raymond.
“We took a step last year, and hope to take another this year. If it leads to the playoffs, nobody will be happier than us.”
