Raymond’s understanding of the game and his dressing-room presence have also been big parts of Detroit’s success in its Centennial season.
“He’s wearing an ‘A’ for a reason,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said of Raymond. “He has enough experience now, both good and bad, in a Red Wings jersey to be able to figure things, moments and the team’s heartbeat out. He’s done a pretty good job of that, but then his game on the ice comes into play…We’ve been encouraging him to shoot a little bit more. I think we need to see that after the [NHL’s Olympic] break, but he’s doing a terrific job of setting up his teammates and them capitalizing. We’ll expect a lot from him when he gets back.”
Raymond tends to lead by example, McLellan said, but the native of Gothenburg, Sweden, is also an emotional competitor.
“Sometimes, we have to harness that too,” McLellan said. “He can get frustrated and it can affect him and others, but it also drives the team sometimes. There’s a good balance of a little bit of everything from the Cs and As, but the auxiliary guys that are supporting side-by-side, if you will.”
Still only 23, Raymond enjoys the responsibility of being counted on as a leader.
“It’s an honor,” Raymond said of being an alternate captain. “You take a lot of pride in it. With our team, we have so many leaders both with older guys and guys that are still early in their careers as well, which is a good mix. It’s very easy on this team to lead and do that in your own way. I think that’s probably one of our biggest strengths — everyone can lead in their own way. Guys don’t have to go out of their own way to do something that they’re not comfortable with.”