DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills offers a day-after article discussing the comments made by Lucas Raymond during yesterday’s press conference:
“I had great support from my side with [agents] J.P. Barry and Matt Williams, who guided me through it,” Raymond said. “It was all new to me, like I’ve never been in those kinds of situations, so it was a lot of new stuff. From the start, I think a big thing for me was that I wanted long-term. I’ve been pretty vocal about that – how much I like Detroit, how much I like the city, the team and the direction we’re heading.”
Raymond said he feels a weight has been taken off his shoulders now that he has clarity and stability.
“A lot of screen time during the summer and you spend a lot of time on the phone,” Raymond said. “So to get it done, you’ll be able to move on from that. I feel that’s a huge relief and then you can just focus on the Detroit Red Wings.”
A hard-working competitor who holds himself to a high standard, Raymond wants to keep maturing and growing as a player.
“I felt a huge difference coming into last year,” Raymond said. “Just the way you see the game, the way you handle yourself off the ice. On the ice as well, there’s areas I want to keep taking bigger strides, taking more responsibility and raising expectations for myself. That’s the goal.”
From the moment he made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in 2021, Raymond said the fanbase received him with open arms. The young forward takes great pride in playing for the city of Detroit and because he believes in the organization’s future, is motivated to help guide the Red Wings back into an extended era of success.
“The last stretch of (2023-24 season) was some of the most fun hockey I’ve ever played,” Raymond said. “Just seeing the way that the fans responded, the building was electric every night. You could just feel it around us as well. It’s amazing playing in front of that, and it gives you so much energy. It’s been like that since my first year. That’s the biggest thing I’ve noticed night in and night out. It’s unbelievable, so you want to give back to that. Hopefully, we can do that.”
Continued; now get Seider done, Mr. Yzerman.
