NHL Draft: 5 Reasons To Fall In Love With Lucas Raymond
By Nick Villano
” width=”3200″ height=”2133″ /> Lucas Raymond (Photo credit should read ERIK MARTENSSON/AFP via Getty Images)
The New Jersey Devils better hope Lucas Raymond is available at seven.
The NHL Draft is less than a month away, and the New Jersey Devils are facing one of their most daunting tasks in team history. The Devils have been a laughing stock since Martin Brodeur left for the St. Louis Blues. He’s back in New Jersey, but the winning ways have not followed. Now, the Devils are looking to set themselves up for their future with three 1st-round picks.
One of those 1st-round picks has a chance to be a player that’s extremely special. The players seemingly available at number seven overall are somewhat insane. This mock draft by Chris Peters of ESPN has Marco Rossi, Alexander Holtz, and Lucas Raymond all available at seven. The Devils would be lucky to have any of those available in a normal draft, but to have the pick of three amazing talents like that is something that doesn’t happen very often.
Lucas Raymond is the best of the bunch. Honestly, he might be the third-best player in the draft. However, there are multiple mock drafts showing him available at seven. It’s Alexis Lafreniere at number one. Quinton Byfield (at least it should be) at number two. Then, it’s anybody’s ball game. Raymond has great talent on top of a refined game that still has a massive ceiling.
Raymond is unlike most top prospects in this year’s draft because he’s actually playing right now. The pandemic has caused some strange things to happen, but one of the top prospects having a game on his schedule the day after the draft ends might be one for the record books. Raymond is currently playing for Frolunda of the SHL. He’s been really good in the preseason, scoring goals and making huge plays. This could make it harder for the Devils to have a shot at taking him, but teams might be hard pressed to change their picks now.
So, with less than a month until the Devils actually make their pick, here’s five reasons to fall in love with Lucas Raymond.