Red Wings’ Lucas Raymond leaves game vs. Maple Leafs with upper-body injury

Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond left Monday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena with an upper-body injury, the club announced.

Raymond, 23, left the game midway through the second period after taking a heavy check from Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev. The 5’11” winger hit the boards hard and appeared to be favoring his right side as he left the ice.

The Red Wings led the game by a 1-0 score when Raymond made his early departure; he picked up the secondary assist on Dylan Larkin’s opening goal in the first period. Mason Appleton ultimately tallied the winning goal in the final minute of regulation as the Red Wings defeated the Maple Leafs by a 3-2 final score despite being outshot 40-15.

One of the Red Wings’ offensive leaders since making his debut in the 2021-22 season, Raymond leaves an enormous hole to be filled to Larkin’s right on the team’s top line. It remains to be seen how long Detroit will have to make do with alternative options.

The Red Wings originally selected Raymond with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. The Göthenburg, Sweden product spent his first post-draft season with Frölunda in the SHL before joining the Red Wings in 2021, finishing fourth in Calder Trophy balloting after scoring 57 points in his rookie season.

Raymond blossomed into a true top-line option with the Red Wings in the 2023-24 campaign, establishing a new career high with 31 goals and leading the team with 72 points. He followed that up with 80 points in 82 games the following year, leading the Red Wings in scoring for the second consecutive season.

Through 323 career games over his first five NHL seasons with the Red Wings, Raymond has collected 100 goals and 257 points. Owing to the Red Wings’ long playoff drought, Raymond has yet to make a single NHL postseason appearance.