The Detroit Red Wings may have been understandably frustrated when they didn’t land the No. 1 overall NHL Draft pick after their abysmal 2019-20 regular season (prior to the COVID-19 shutdown). Despite owning the League’s worst record by a wide margin, they dropped to No. 4 in the selection process.
But so far, that’s been a major blessing in disguise. With the No. 4 selection, they took Swedish forward Lucas Raymond. And all he’s done since making the team this year out of training camp is lead all NHL rookies in scoring. And in doing so, he’s joined some elite company.
With his assist in the 1st period of tonight’s game against the Arizona Coyotes on Dylan Larkin’s goal, he is now the leading scorer in NHL history for European-born teenagers through their first 20 NHL games with 19 points, already having passed the likes of Anze Kopitar and Patrik Laine:
Most points by a European-born teenager within their first 20 career NHL games:
19- Lucas Raymond (Assisting on his @DetroitRedWings 1-0 marker tonight vs ARI)
18- Patrik Laine
17- Anze Kopitar
17- Elias Pettersson (Doing so in just 12 career GP before turning 20)
16- Tomas Hertl pic.twitter.com/tX332sHOnh— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) November 21, 2021
