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Lucas Raymond Accomplishes Something No Red Wings Player Has Done Since 1969
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- Lucas Raymond Accomplishes Something No Red Wings Player Has Done Since 1969
Lucas Raymond entered this week looking to rediscover his scoring touch. Now, the Detroit Red Wings forward has accomplished something no player wearing the Winged Wheel had done in more than half a century.
During Thursday night's 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, Raymond recorded two goals and an assist in the opening nine minutes, becoming the first Red Wings player since Frank Mahovlich on March 16, 1969, to register three points that early in a game.
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That's right. Raymond just accomplished something Detroit hadn't seen in 57 years.
And considering where his season stood just a few days ago, the timing couldn't have been much better.
Oct 22, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond (23) with forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (28) and forward Dylan Larkin (71) and defenseman Anton Johansson (42) celebrate against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Lucas Raymond Makes Red Wings History
Raymond wasted little time making his presence felt against Vancouver, opening the scoring just 4:18 into the first period when he redirected an Albert Johansson shot past Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen.
Less than two minutes later, Raymond picked up an assist on William Wallinder's goal to give Detroit a 2-0 advantage. Then, at the 8:56 mark , Raymond buried a backhand opportunity on the power play for his second goal of the night.
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Three points. Less than nine minutes. A place in Red Wings history.
According to the Red Wings' official game recap , Mahovlich was the last Detroit player to accomplish the feat, collecting three points in the opening 7:09 of a game on March 16, 1969.
Raymond's performance also helped the Red Wings extend their point streak to six consecutive games, improving their record to 4-3-3.
Todd McLellan Believes Raymond Is Finding His Confidence
Perhaps the most encouraging development for Detroit isn't simply that Raymond made history. It's that his offensive production appears to be heating up after a frustrating start to the season.
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As we previously reported , Raymond finally snapped his goal-scoring drought Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.
Now, he has three goals and two assists over his last two games.
Following Thursday's victory, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan explained why he believes Raymond is beginning to turn things around.
"He put himself in good spots tonight to score," McLellan said . "I thought he did that last game, even when he mishandled the puck a couple times… So now, he's feeling good, the confidence is back, it should be, and hopefully it takes off."
Raymond, meanwhile, isn't getting carried away by his sudden offensive explosion.
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"It's obviously nice, right? For me as a player and the team, but I think you got to look at the process more," Raymond said.
Raymond's Breakout Could Be Exactly What Detroit Needs
For a Red Wings team trying to establish consistency early in the season, getting Raymond back on track could make an enormous difference.
Just last week, we highlighted the growing frustration surrounding Raymond's scoring struggles . Now, the conversation has changed dramatically.
What makes Thursday's performance especially encouraging is how Raymond produced his offense. He wasn't simply benefiting from fortunate bounces. He was getting into dangerous scoring areas, finding opportunities around the net, and capitalizing when Detroit needed him.
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That's the version of Raymond the Red Wings need moving forward.
Detroit also received goals from Wallinder, Michael Rasmussen, and Emmitt Finnie in the victory, while Michal Postava made his NHL debut after John Gibson exited with an injury.
The Red Wings will look to extend their point streak to seven games Saturday night against the Calgary Flames.
As for Raymond, his name now sits alongside Frank Mahovlich in a rather exclusive piece of Detroit hockey history. If his recent production is any indication, the Red Wings might be getting their offensive star back at exactly the right time.
