Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider have returned to the Detroit Red Wings after representing their countries at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Both players expressed satisfaction with their international experience and eagerness to resume the NHL season.
“You work all season to be in that spot, and now we’re in a great position to hopefully do some more damage along the way,” Seider said after Tuesday morning’s practice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center. “I think everyone is looking forward to it. Obviously, you want to stay in the moment, and you really enjoy Milan, but you’re counting the days to get back with your boys in that locker room. I’m happy to be back, and I think we just want to take care of business. We have a great challenge in front of us.”
Tuesday marked Detroit’s seventh practice since returning from the NHL’s Olympic break but was the first for Raymond and Seider as alternate captains. The team has one more scheduled session before starting a three-game road trip against Ottawa on Thursday.
Raymond noted his anticipation about rejoining teammates: “You’re seeing videos of them practicing. I saw them doing some board battle thing, and you kind of start missing the guys and all the people around us. You kind of get pumped up to get back, and I think that kind of brings it up a notch. We’ve had a couple of tough [months of] March here, where maybe we haven’t been playing to our standard. I feel like that’s a big motivation for us right now as well. We’re in a great spot in the standings, and we want to keep it that way. That’s motivating enough.”
Both players valued representing their countries during what they described as a competitive men’s ice hockey tournament at the Olympics.
“It was great for the sport,” Seider said regarding NHL players participating at the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. “I think we showed everyone that it’s a very fun sport to watch. And hopefully, we can make it even bigger than it is. I think it was a great showcase.”
Raymond tallied nine points (one goal, eight assists) over five games with Team Sweden while Seider contributed two assists and led Team Germany in average ice time (26:16).
“I was happy with my play,” Raymond said. “Obviously, there are always things you want to do better and especially in a short tournament like that, but you try to build off that. You want to come back from a break like that energized, and I feel like that. I feel ready to go here. Obviously, it leaves a little bittersweet taste leaving like we did in the quarterfinals, so I kind of want to get going here. I’m excited to be back here. I feel good, and I’m ready to go.”
Although Raymond found limited time with Seider or captain Dylan Larkin while in Italy due to busy schedules, he celebrated Larkin’s gold medal win with Team USA.
“We saw each other around the village and stuff like that,” Raymond said. “Obviously, with a lot of practices and games you can’t really interact with each other, but you keep an extra eye on them and their games. Didn’t play against Mo but played against Dylan, and that was an awesome game even though it didn’t end the way we wanted to. Super pumped for him to be able to go over there and win gold. That’s big time, so very happy for him.”
Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan commented on having both alternate captains return: “It was a good day for us,” McLellan said.“They’re still getting their wits about them, their time change, fatigue and getting themselves organized.We’ve been skating the last four or five days.They’ve been flying all over the world , so they ’re not goingto be at their best but tomorrow they’ll be upand running .”
McLellan expects Larkin will rejoin soon: “If all goes well,and weatherand flightsand everything cooperates,I think he can sleepin his own bed late tonight.So,we’ll have him aroundthe arena tomorrow.I’m not sure if he’ll skate.Expect himto be onthe planeand bea factorin Ottawaon Thursday night .”
The Detroit Red Wings were established in 1926 as one of six original teams competing in what is now known as the National Hockey League (official website). They represent Detroit,Michigan,and play home gamesin downtown Detroit.The franchise has won 11 Stanley Cup championships—more than any other American-based team—and maintainsa reputationfor excellence within professional hockey(official website).
