Santa’s 10 Reindeer Draft Prospects – Day 6 – Lucas Raymond
By Craig Jones
3 years agoThe moment the New York Rangers won the number one pick in this year’s draft, Wings’ fans were jolted from their peaceful Lafrenière-dream. It was like a dream you have the night before Christmas: eagerly looking forward to waking up, you constantly check the clock, anticipating Santa gifting you the best player in the draft. A single jet-stream shooting a lottery ball up in the air ended that dream. But that dream doesn’t have to end. This draft is deep – there’s no real consensus on draft order and the Wings have several holes to fill.
Position- Right wing/ Left wing
Team – Frölunda HC
Age – 18
Height – 5’10”
Weight – 183 lbs
Nation – Sweden
Shoots – Right
Team – Frölunda HC
Age – 18
Height – 5’10”
Weight – 183 lbs
Nation – Sweden
Shoots – Right
Comet is known for his dashing good-looks and easy-going temperament. While I can’t speak to Lucas Raymond’s temperament, I can confidently say he looks beautiful on the ice and would look even better in a Wings jersey. The Swedish forward has proven himself on the biggest stages, including a hat trick in the U-18 Championship Final against a fellow top draft pick, Yaroslav Askarov. His ability to step up and deliver at such a young age on the world’s largest stage exemplifies Raymond’s hockey fortitude. Raymond would be a welcomed addition to the rebuilding of the Wings who desperately need a creative playmaker to spark their bottom six.
TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button –
“An exceptional offensive talent with creativity that reminds me of Mitch Marner.”
Raymond’s beauty on the ice is something special. Good skater, great shooter, even better passer and his head is down maybe once a game, max. The concerns – he only averaged 10 minutes a game in the SHL, limiting scouts’ and fans’ sample size. This has led experts to question his strength and whether his game will translate to the NHL. There will always be naysayers but defenders watching film on Raymond will be worried by his constant movement and never wasting a stride to create shooting lanes. Whether you agree with the Mitch Marner comparisons or not, Raymond’s hockey intelligence is above average. Further, skilled enough to play with the top tier and smart enough to play with the bottom tier, Raymond’s skillset will give a coach flexibility in the lineup. If Yzerman decides to make this Comet a Wing, the forward group better be ready for some competition.
Twitter: @Jonesinthezone
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