The Detroit Red Wings fell short of their goal of making the NHL Playoffs last season, but there is a sense that Coach Derek Lalonde's team is building something good in the Motor City.
The Red Wings have a defenseman who hails from Zell, Germany named Moritz Seider on the roster, a key contributor to a team that came close to reaching its goals last season albeit before falling short and missing the league's second season. On Friday, reporter David Pagnotta reported that the Red Wings and winger Lucas Raymond have rekindled contract negotiations and are working on a long-term deal.
The Pagnotta report included information on Seider who is rumored to be in contract negotiations with Derek Lalonde's team. He doubled down on his assertions on X Friday, saying that he can confirm that Seider's deal is being discussed along with Raymond's.
“Like Raymond, I can confirm the Wings are also working/focused on (a) long-term contract with Seider, as well,” Pagnotta said on X. “And like Raymond, there's still work that needs to be done before a new deal is finalized.”
The news came as it was revealed that the Red Wings have about $17.6 million in cap space to work with this offseason. New predictions for GM Steve Yzerman's team this upcoming season were also shared.
Seider's contract is a pretty big deal, and Raymond's certainly is as well.
Raymond contract talks continue
The Raymond contract also got a further update from the hockey scribe, who writes for The Fourth Period.
“(The Red Wings and Lucas Raymond) aren't there yet, but they are talking a lot and trying to hammer away and get this done,” Pagnotta said. “The focus is still on long-term, and talks have gained traction, but they're still grinding away at it.”
Preseason less than a month away for Red Wings
The Red Wings will open their preseason schedule on September 25 on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks, a longtime nemesis and fellow Original Six NHL hockey club.
Following that game, the Red Wings and Blackhawks will meet again two days later at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit, another chance for Coach Derek Lalonde to see what type of talent he has on board the Wings' hockey club this season.
The Wings' regular season opener will go down against the Pittsburgh Penguins, also at the LCA in the Motor City, a chance for Detorit to begin its quest for what would be the franchise's 12th-ever Stanley Cup. Raymond, Seider and the Wings are a far cry from championship status, but their individual talents do suggest that Detroit could be in this thing for as long as it takes to prove their mettle as one of the better hockey teams in the Eastern Conference and beyond this upcoming season.
The Wings still haven't been to the postseason since 2016, but 2025 (after the early season 2024 schedule) could be the year everything changes.