Reaction: Detroit Red Wings' New Contract For Lucas Raymond Can Become A Bargain
Detroit Red Wings right winger Lucas Raymond broke out last season. His new contract gives the team incredible value and more flexibility with Moritz Seider's next contract.
The Detroit Red Wings have locked up one of their most important forwards with a long-term deal.
The Red Wings announced Monday evening that RFA Lucas Raymond signed an eight-year, $64.4-million contract.
The deal, which has an annual cap hit of $8.075 million, has the potential to provide the Red Wings with incredible value – and a bargain player – as Raymond enters his prime.
The 2020 fourth-overall draft pick led Detroit in points last season, with 72 in 82 games, and has shown he is ready to take the reins of the Red Wings’ offense with captain Dylan Larkin.
In three NHL seasons, Raymond’s 174 points in 238 games are second only to Tim Stutzle in the 2020 draft class.
Raymond hit another level down the stretch last season, posting 21 points in Detroit’s final 21 games to help his team pull within one point of a Stanley Cup playoff berth.
Stacking up Raymond’s new contract with comparables around the league makes it look even better.
Steven Stamkos, 34, signed a four-year, $32-million contract that will pay him $8 million annually. Without discounting his career accomplishments, it could be a classic example of paying a veteran for what he has accomplished versus what he will accomplish.
Since recording a career-high 106 points in 2021-22, Stamkos’ totals have steadily decreased, most recently to 81 points in 79 games, and could continue to do so in his Predators tenure.
Raymond, on the other hand, is ascending fast. After a breakout year, The Hockey News Fantasy Guide projected Raymond to hit totals of 36 goals and 82 points for this season. He hasn’t peaked and is only entering his fourth NHL season.
Stutzle, who is perhaps the best comparable from Raymond’s draft class, signed an eight-year deal in 2022 that pays him $8.35 million annually. Raymond recorded two more points than Stutzle last season, but Stutzle had 39 goals and 90 points the campaign prior compared to Raymond's 45 points in 74 games.
It is evident the Red Wings made great efforts to establish an internal cap below captain Dylan Larkin’s $8.7-million cap hit, which could provide massive cap relief down the road.
It also helps with the re-signing of cornerstone defenseman Moritz Seider, who will likely command more than Raymond. After re-signing the Swedish forward, Detroit has about $8.7 million in remaining cap space, according to PuckPedia.
Establishing another precedent under Larkin's cap hit will likely give the Red Wings even more leverage to keep Seider's contract a little bit lower.
Alex DeBrincat also signed for less than Larkin in 2023, settling for four years at a $7.875-million annual cap hit.
Detroit will likely use Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power and Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson as contract comparables for Seider, as they both make around $8 million annually. However, Seider recorded more points than either last season and is Detroit's undisputed No. 1 defenseman of the present and future. Seider is also an RFA. - Janson Duench
For more, here's Jacob Stoller with video analysis of Raymond's new contract:
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