Red Wings coach Todd McLellan opened up about the impact Lucas Raymond has on his team after defeating the Kings.

Raymond was doing fine before McLellan became Detroit Red Wings coach on Dec. 26. Since then, his game has reached another level. He has 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 16 games under McLellan. He ranks second in the NHL in points during this time, one behind Boston’s David Pastrnak.

Lucas Raymond is a big reason the Detroit Red Wings are doing so well, and Patrick Kane may soon rejoin the lineup.

In 16 games since McLellan took over, the Red Wings are 11-4-1, riding a three-game win streak as they prepare to head to western Canada on Wednesday. It’s not unusual to see a midseason coaching change bring better results in the NHL, but now more than 30 days in, the Red Wings’ surge has lasted longer than a simple adrenaline rush.

The first thing Todd McLellan felt needed changing when he took over the Wings was the mood. Thanks to an 11-4-1 record since arriving, it has.

Lucas Raymond is on fire, and is the third Red Wings player to hit the 20-goal mark this season. Todd McLellan compared him to Red Wings great Henrik Zetterberg. Brad Galli has more.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-2 thanks to a sensational night from young star Lucas Raymond, after the game head coach Todd McLellan sent the 22-year-old a bold statement.

The Red Wings (24-21-5, 53 points) would tie Tampa Bay and Columbus for the final wild card spot with a win over the Oilers and a regulation loss by the Blue Jackets at Vegas, though technically Detroit would still trail based on points percentage and tiebreakers.

Last season was a coming out party for Detroit Red Wings star forward Lucas Raymond. This season is about Raymond establishing his credentials among the elite performers in the NHL.

Certainly coach Todd McLellan did not have much positive to say after ... "From the first goal, that kind of set the tone for us," said Lucas Raymond, who scored on a power play. "It’s a huge part of our game and didn’t get it done.

The Kings take a two-goal lead in the first period before losing, 5-2, against their former head coach and dropping to 2-5-1 over their last eight games.

Veteran forward Andrew Copp said the Detroit Red Wings have a togetherness they lacked before head coach Todd McLellan was hired in late December.