With a strong free agency market for wingers, a potential deal involving Lucas Raymond may be on the table.
In the calm before the chaos of NHL Draft season, few teams are sitting at a more pivotal crossroads than the Detroit Red Wings. After missing the playoffs again in 2024–25, despite almost making it the season prior and showing flashes of promising young core, fans and analysts alike are left wondering if general manager Steve Yzerman might finally push the franchise into bold new territory.
While no current reports suggest it, there’s one scenario lurking in the shadows that could turn the league on its head: what if Detroit traded Lucas Raymond for the first overall pick?
Raymond, drafted fourth overall in 2020, has been a foundational piece for the Red Wings since his NHL debut. The Swedish winger has blossomed into a legitimate top-line NHL winger after leading the Red Wings with 31 goals and 41 assists, totaling 72 points, and was rewarded with a lucrative eight-year, $64.6 million extension in September 2024.
In 316 NHL games so far, he’s notched 97 goals and 152 assists, showcasing his consistent production and growth. With his contract locked in, trading Raymond wouldn’t be just a cap dump, it would be a massive, strategic shakeup of Detroit’s roster heading into the off-season.
The Islanders currently hold the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and are reportedly open to offers. Detroit might have a unique opportunity to trade up and select consensus top pick defenceman Matthew Schaefer, which would add much needed depth to their blueline.
Analysts from The New York Post to international scouting services have called him the only “Tier 1 projected All-Star” in this year’s class. Known for his poise, skating, and leadership, Schaefer is already being described as a future NHL captain and star.
For the Red Wings, it would be a highly unlikely move but you never know as even Wayne Gretzky was once traded. The move would be resetting the core of the team by adding a player at a slightly younger age and at desperate position of need.
Outside of Moritz Seider, Detroit’s defensive group has lacked reliability and top-pairing talent, finishing bottom 12 in goals against average last season. Seider, who regularly logs around 24 minutes per game and drives possession with an elite two-way game, has carried the burden largely alone.
Team insiders and beat writers have repeatedly listed defensive help as Detroit’s most pressing offseason priority but there may not be many high-quality targets available. However, the winger position that has plenty of depth in the market and could produce a solid replacement for Raymond if not an improvement.
Trading Raymond would obviously leave a massive hole up front but the Red Wings could quickly pivot to fill it with the likes of Toronto's Mitch Marner, whose future in Toronto is increasingly in doubt.
Reports suggest that the Maple Leafs may not be able to come to terms with Marner, as he's now considering options outside of Canada but still close to his hometown of Toronto. Detroit is one of the best options with a tantalizing young, skilled roster, that could present an appealing opportunity.
If Marner doesn’t land in Detroit, there are many other high-end wingers who could slot into Raymond’s former spot. Names like Brock Boeser, Sam Bennett, Nikolaj Ehlers, and even Brad Marchand have all surfaced as potential fits in this free agent class, depending on Detroit’s direction and timeline.
Boeser provides a similar goal-scoring punch, Bennett adds grit and playoff experience, Ehlers brings speed and transition play, and Marchand offers leadership and a wealth of experience few have.
A trade of this magnitude hasn't been reported by almost any media outlets yet as it's very unlikely but if the Red Wings want to make a transformative move, packaging a proven scorer like Raymond to land the No. 1 pick and a franchise-altering defenseman in Schaefer could redefine their future.
With cap space to replace Raymond’s production immediately, and with the blue line in need of reinforcements, the logic is there but the boldness of Yzerman is the question.
