Red Wings Raymond Left Out Of Last Man In

A first-round pick skating for a team that counts Steve Yzerman among its general managers will be the Atlantic Division rep in the NHL All-Star Game via the Last Men In ballot.

Sorry folks, it isn’t Lucas Raymond.

Captain Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the online voting to gain the final Atlantic Division roster spot for the Feb. 5 NHL All-Star Game at T-Mobile Arena is Las Vegas. One player from each team in the division was up for the nod. Raymond was the Red Wings candidate on the ballot.

Fans select @RealStamkos91, @43_Kadri, @MikaZibanejad and @troyterry1997 as 2022 #NHLAllStar Last Men In.

Jake Guentzel to replace Zibanejad, who cannot attend due to personal reasons.

Full Release: https://t.co/9vMOCgTmoR pic.twitter.com/9jFZnPWYDl

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 18, 2022

Instead, captain Dylan Larkin will be the lone Detroit representative in the game. Had Raymond, 19, won the Last Man In vote, he would’ve been the first rookie and first teenager to represent the Wings in the midseason classic since Larkin did so in 2016. Larkin was also 19 at the time.

Raymond Delivering All-Star Play

Despite coming up short in his bid to earn all-star recognition, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill believes that Raymond has established credentials in his first NHL season that make his worthy of all-star consideration.

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“He’s done a good job,” Blashill said. “I don’t know what exactly an all-star is. He’s certainly played well enough to be in that consideration with the other good players in the league.”

Raymond leads all NHL rookies in points with 11-21-32 totals. He’s second in goals to Tanner Jeannot (12) of the Nashville Predators. Detroit teammate Moritz Seider (22) is the only first-year player to dish out more assists than the Swedish teen sensation.

However, with 32 NHL teams and a rule stipulating each club must have representation at the All-Star Game, it doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room to get multiple players from one club on the roster.

“The number of players that get chosen is a little different than it used to be,” Blashill said. “There’s other parameters in place.

“Certainly he’s put himself in the conversation and that’s good for him.”