The Detroit Red Wings Working on Signing Lucas Raymond all summer. With training camp just days away, there was added pressure to reach an agreement. On Monday, both sides finally got together.
The Red Wings have signed Raymond to a massive eight-year contract extension, the team announced. The new deal has an average annual value of $8.075 million. Raymond, who was previously a restricted free agent, is now eligible to attend the team's training camp and prepare for the new season on the ice.
Raymond is having the best season of his career to date. He led the Red Wings with 31 goals and 72 points in 2023-24. Detroit was fighting tooth and nail to make the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2024. Unfortunately, Raymond's efforts weren't enough to secure a playoff spot. Detroit Misses Stanley Cup Playoffs in force tiebreaker with the Washington Capitals.
Lucas Raymond signs long-term contract with Red Wings
Lucas Raymond is one of Detroit’s best players. Even before his breakout performance in 2023-24, he was considered one of the team’s brightest young stars. His contract extension on Monday certainly shows how valuable his stick is to Detroit.
But Raymond and the Red Wings have been in difficult negotiations this summer. At times, it seemed like Raymond and Detroit were at odds over the contract. And as the summer went on, fans began to worry that the contract was hanging over the team.
That concern doubled when we looked at the other big contract Detroit has left to sign. Defenseman Moritz Seider is considered one of the best young defensemen in the NHL. And as of this writing, he remains unsigned as a restricted free agent. Detroit has just over $8 million in cap space to sign their German defenseman.
Related newsContinue reading below
Raymond wasn’t the only player to sign with Detroit on Monday. Earlier in the day, Detroit signed forward Jonathan Berggren to a one-year deal. Berggren spent most of his 2023-24 campaign with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. However, he scored 15 goals in 67 NHL games during an impressive rookie season in 2022-23.
Raymond’s signing rounds out Detroit’s top six forwards. Raymond will likely line up on the first line with captain Dylan Larkin and winger Alex DeBrincat. On the second line, the Red Wings turn to J.T. Compher, Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. It’s certainly a group that could do some damage on the ice in 2024-25.
The Red Wings are preparing for a major playoff push this upcoming season. Signing Raymond allows the team to focus a little more on the games ahead. Detroit begins its 2024-25 regular season against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 10.