Lucas Raymond’s shot has been there. The goals haven’t.
That’s the reality facing the Detroit Red Wings forward as he heads into Saturday evening’s matchup with the San Jose Sharks at Little Caesars Arena. Detroit is coming off a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, but Raymond is still searching for his first goal through seven games.
Even so, he doesn’t sound rattled.
“I feel alright, I feel some areas that I feel good in and some that I'd want to improve in or get more out of. I think there's always stuff that gives you an edge in the game,” Raymond said.
Raymond said he wants to keep leaning into what he does best, especially his shot, which has long been one of the more dangerous weapons on the roster. Todd McLellan encouraged him to use it more often last season, and Raymond said that part of his approach hasn’t changed.
“Obviously, I like my shot, I want to get to as many areas and spots where I can get it off,” Raymond said. “I have to play my game, I feel confident in that.”
The drought isn’t new territory for the Red Wings’ top scorers. Alex DeBrincat went through something similar before eventually finishing with 41 goals, and he said Raymond’s current stretch doesn’t look like a confidence issue from the outside.
“I feel like he's confident,” DeBrincat said of Raymond. “You see what he does with the puck; he's getting chances every game. I want to say a couple of years ago, he started the season goalless for a little bit, but then he ended up being our top goal scorer.
And last year, I went eight games without a goal as well. It's easy to feel down on yourself, but the player he is, he's confident and he knows what he can do, and that it's just a matter of time before they start going in the net.”
DeBrincat’s memory checks out. Raymond went through a similar dry spell to open the 2024-25 season, not scoring until the eighth game against the Buffalo Sabres.
McLellan offered a similar read on the winger’s mindset, saying the issue looks more like frustration than a dip in belief.
“I don't think his confidence is wavering,” McLellan said. “He's probably a little frustrated more than having a shortness of confidence. He's had some looks, and had the puck on his tape in some really good spots, but it hasn't gone in for him.
We're going to keep working with him, and hopefully he pulls himself through it.”
In Other News...
Red Wings Prospect Update Puts Two Young Names In The Spotlight
Max Plantes season has hit a brief snag at a time when Detroit has every reason to keep close tabs on its prospects. The reigning Hobey Baker winner and Red Wings prospect is out with an upper-body injury, leaving his status in the week-to-week range while the organization waits for word on when he can get back on the ice.
There was still some good news in the Plante family pipeline, though, as younger brother Victor Plante, another Detroit 2026 draft pick, had a goal and two assists in Minnesota-Duluths 7-1 win over Minnesota, with older brother Zam adding two assists of his own for the Bulldogs. Elsewhere in the system, prospect Adam Levac is serving a four-game suspension in the Ontario Hockey League after a match penalty, another reminder that the Red Wings developmental watch list can change quickly from week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Enter Sharks Matchup With One Lineup Issue Getting Urgent
The Red Wings are heading into their home meeting with the San Jose Sharks with the kind of lineup decision that can linger over a young season. Detroit has already had to juggle injuries and performance questions while sorting through its first seven games, and the coaching staff is still weighing how to keep the roster both competitive now and flexible later. Thats where the conversation around Carter Mazur has started to matter, because his usage has been limited and the team cannot treat every move as a simple paper transaction.
Mazur has appeared in only three of Detroits first seven games, which has added a little urgency to a decision the Red Wings would rather not rush. With the Sharks coming to town, the matchup offers another opportunity to evaluate the bottom of the lineup and the ripple effects of any change, especially when roster management is part of the calculus. For a team still trying to settle into the season, this is the kind of issue that can shape more than one night on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Just Set Up Their Next Big Contract Decision
Alex DeBrincats new deal has already changed the contract landscape in Detroit, and not just because the winger is now locked in long term. The Red Wings made the big commitment with a seven-year, $91 million extension, and it naturally shifts attention to the next core piece on the board as the organization keeps trying to map out its future without creating unnecessary noise around it.
Simon Edvinsson is the name that now sits in the middle of that conversation, and the timing matters. General manager Shawn Horcoff has made clear he wants to sign the defenseman and has no interest in moving him, which gives Detroit a pretty straightforward public stance even as the optics of one major extension can quickly turn into questions about the next one. [Read more 🡒]