The Detroit Red Wings have locked up a piece of their core with a long-term contract.
The Red Wings announced the signing of RFA Lucas Raymond to an eight-year, $64.6-milllon contract on Monday.
Raymond is a cornerstone player for the current Red Wings rebuild. Taken fourth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Raymond is the only top-five player the Red Wings have drafted since 1990. That lofty selection came with expectations and Raymond’s breakout season last year showed he has what it takes to meet them.
Raymond led the Red Wings in scoring with 72 points last season and was second on the team with 31 goals. He turned up his play down the stretch, scoring 14 goals and 21 points in Detroit’s final 22 games as the Red Wings came within a tiebreak of snapping a playoff drought that dates back to 2016.
In three NHL seasons, Raymond has 71 goals and 174 points in 238 games, trailing only Tim Stuzle for scoring in his draft class.
The Red Wings had three unsigned RFAs with training camps set to open earlier this week. Earlier Monday, the club came to terms with depth forward Jonatan Berggren on a one-year, $850,000 contract. Still unsigned is Moritz Seider, the 2022 Calder Trophy winner and the team’s most important defenceman.