Patrick Kane and the Detroit Red Wings skipped a beat after watching Lucas Raymond go down with an injury early in the NHL season. However, after head coach Todd McLellan’s latest update, the roster in Motor City can breathe normally again.
After taking a hit from Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev against the boards, Raymond exited the game. The Swedish star didn’t return to the ice, setting alarms off in Detroit. However, there may be little reason for Kane, McLellan, and company to stress about.
The Red Wings have listed Lucas Raymond as day-to-day with an upper body injury, as announced by McLellan during a media availability. Though he won’t play against the Florida Panthers on October 15, it shouldn’t be too long before he is back on the ice for Detroit’s 100th NHL season.
An apple a day
With Raymond out of the game, McLellan resorted to Mason Appleton, who jumped onto the Red Wings’ top line. The move paid dividends as the former Winnipeg Jets’ forward scored the game-winning goal with less than a minute left in regulation. It was Appleton’s first tally in a Red Wings uniform, and might be a cornerstone for his production in Detroit to reach another level.
“I thought he did a good job,” McLellan said about Appleton, per Detroit Hockey Now. “He’s got some experience. He can play both ends of the rink, which is important. That line takes on not only offensive responsibilities but some defensive ones against the other team’s top players. So we think he can give us something on both sides of the puck.”
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NHL News: Red Wings’ Todd McLellan makes tough admission despite back-to-back wins over Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs
It’s now or never
The Red Wings have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last nine NHL seasons. Kane and McLellan know the 2025-26 campaign might finally be the right time to clinch a postseason berth once and for all.
A quick glance around the Atlantic Division tells the Red Wings all they need to know. The Florida Panthers are battling more injuries than any team can realistically manage, the Toronto Maple Leafs are still adapting to Mitch Marner’s absence, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are facing an aging crisis. As for the Ottawa Senators, with Brady Tkachuk injured long-term, they are in for a true trial by fire.
The Montreal Canadiens boast as much talent as any roster in the league, but they’re still a bit wet behind the ears. The Boston Bruins are still figuring themselves out under a new head coach, while the Buffalo Sabres are inching closer to throwing in the towel with each passing day—and it’s only the third week of October. If the Red Wings can’t make the most of this opportunity, it might be time to scribble out the “Yzerplan” altogether.
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