Raymond on eight-year contract with Red Wings: ‘Very happy we got it done’

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- The Detroit Red Wings have a talented core taking shape, one they feel will help them return to being a consistent Stanley Cup contender. And on Monday night, the Red Wings made certain that Lucas Raymond remains part of that process by re-signing the 22-year-old forward to an eight-year contract extension.

Raymond said he’s happy to be entering Training Camp, which begins Thursday at Centre ICE Arena, with a new deal in hand.

“Of course, you always want to get it done as quick as possible,” Raymond said on Tuesday. “But that’s the way it goes. It’s the way of the business. And like I said, just very happy we got it done.”

Raymond is coming off NHL career highs in goals (31), assists (41) and points (72, which led the Red Wings) in 82 games last season. Selected by Detroit with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Raymond has 174 points (71 goals, 103 assists) in 238 games.

Red Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman said he believes Raymond is just entering the early stages of his prime.

“I fully expect him to become a better hockey player for a couple of reasons,” Yzerman said about Raymond. “He’s an extremely driven, bright player. His motivation, he’ll just continue to get better over the next few years.”

Raymond’s strong performance late last season, when the Swedish forward recorded 21 points (14 goals, seven assists) in Detroit’s final 18 games, also impressed Yzerman.

“Down the stretch, he certainly took his game to another level production-wise,” Yzerman said. “We didn’t base everything on the last 20 games, but it certainly has an impact. I felt throughout the season, he continued to get better. There was a significant growth from Year 2 to Year 3.”

Raymond said throughout the negotiation process, he maintained the stance that contract term was important to him.

“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.”