The Detroit Red Wings made a significant move by signing star winger Lucas Raymond to an eight-year contract extension worth $64.6 million, just days before training camp. General manager Steve Yzerman was busy addressing important contract negotiations, beginning with a one-year, $875,000 deal for prospect Jonatan Berggren. However, the major highlight of the day was Raymond’s extension, which will pay him an average of $8.075 million annually. The deal could prove advantageous for the team in the future as the NHL salary cap is expected to rise, and Raymond continues to develop into an elite winger.
Raymond’s contract does not include a signing bonus, but it does feature a ten-team no-trade clause during the last four years of the deal. By the time the contract expires, Raymond will be 30 years old, putting him in position to negotiate another long-term deal. Last season, Raymond was a key contributor to the Red Wings’ offense, leading the team with 72 points and finishing second in goals behind Dylan Larkin with 31.
Despite a slow start to the season, Raymond showcased his talent late in the year, especially when Larkin was injured. During the Red Wings’ push for the playoffs, Raymond scored 14 goals in the final 18 games and finished the season with seven goals and 12 points over the last eight games, playing over 20 minutes per night.
His impressive play nearly helped Detroit end their eight-year playoff drought, but the team ultimately fell just one point short.
Raymond, selected by Yzerman as the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, quickly earned his place in the Red Wings’ lineup, much like fellow top prospect Moritz Seider. Both players have become key pieces of Detroit’s rebuilding process under Yzerman, who inherited a struggling team with few prospects when he took over. Now, the Red Wings’ prospect pool is filled with talented young players, including Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson, Simon Edvinsson, and Sebastian Cossa.
The next priority for the Red Wings will be securing a similar extension for Seider, their standout defenseman. With approximately $9.5 million in cap space remaining, Yzerman will likely focus on completing that deal soon.
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