Lucas Raymond hasn’t found the net yet, but the numbers suggest the Detroit Red Wings forward isn’t short on activity - or chances.
Through six games of the 2026-27 season, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft has zero goals after putting up 25, 27 and 31 in each of the previous three years. He does have four assists, including three in Detroit’s lone win, a 5-3 result against the Ottawa Senators. Two of those helpers came on the power play, leaving Raymond with just one point at even strength so far.
That’s the eye-catching part. The quieter detail is that he’s getting plenty of looks.
Raymond ranks third on the Red Wings with 18 shots, trailing only Michael Brandsegg-Nygård’s 19 and Alex DeBrincat’s 24. The shot volume doesn’t stop there, either. Natural Stat Trick has Raymond second on the club in shot attempts with 38, behind DeBrincat’s 53.
So this doesn’t look like a player who has gone passive. It looks more like one waiting on a break.
That’s backed up by his career track record. Over 406 NHL games, Raymond has shot 14.2%, which means he’d normally be expected to have at least a couple of goals already. Right now, it’s fair to call this bad luck and not a sudden change in approach.
The advanced numbers point in the same direction. At 5 on 5, Raymond’s individual expected goals are up by about 0.5 from last season, and Natural Stat Trick’s model says he should probably have at least one goal by now. He’s getting to more dangerous areas, too, with his individual high-danger Corsi for climbing along with the rest of his shot profile.
Season
Shots
iCF
iHDCF
Goals
ixG
SH%
2025-26
2
10
1
2
0.31
50
2026-27
9
22
4
0
0.88
0
Note: All stats at 5 on 5 from Natural Stat Trick.
There’s another layer here, and it affects the whole league: the preseason was cut from eight games to four. That shorter ramp-up period has forced players to get up to speed much faster, and October can show it.
Raymond has a history of looking for the perfect pass instead of firing the puck himself, but that hasn’t been the issue this time. He’s shooting more, and he’s shooting from better spots. For now, the results just haven’t caught up.
If this drags on for 15 or 20 games, then it starts to look different. But at this stage, the expectation is simple: keep taking the shots, and the goals should follow.
In Other News...
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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
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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 🡒]
Lucas Raymond Is Facing An Early Red Wings Question Again
Lucas Raymond is still searching for his first goal of the season as the Red Wings turn from a win over the Philadelphia Flyers to a home date with the San Jose Sharks, and the early-season dry spell has become one of the quieter storylines hanging over Detroits strong start. For a player who has been central to what the Red Wings want to do offensively, the lack of a breakthrough has naturally drawn attention, even if the mood around him has not turned bleak.
Raymond has kept the right posture publicly, and both Alex DeBrincat and Todd McLellan have backed up the idea that the offense will come. McLellans read is that the winger is frustrated more than anything else, but still confident enough to shake it off, which is usually the kind of combination a team would rather see than panic this early in the year. The question now is less about whether Raymond will finish chances and more about when the first one finally opens the door. [Read more 🡒]