Todd McLellan didn't cushion his opinion after watching the Detroit Red Wings lose for the first time in eight games. The Wings (20-19-4) head on their first extended road trip under McLellan tarnished by a 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks that basically reinforced McLellan's concerns from the previous game.

Now getting to see Raymond through eight games and daily practices, McLellan is understanding how good a player Raymond is, and can be in the future.

The Detroit Red Wings have been one of hockey’s hottest teams since firing Derek Lalonde and naming Todd McLellan his replacement behind the bench. In the nine games since Dec.