Mason Raymond's performance last night against the Calgary Flames is indicative of what the speedy winger can bring to the table every night. His short-handed goal where he picked up the pick inside his own zone and blazed down the boards was undoubtedly highlight reel material. Topping it off was a dazzling move at such a high speed that made one the league's perenial top goaltenders look average at best.
Raymond's performance reminded me a bit of Pavel Bure in his prime, flying down the wing at full-speed with defencemen having no chance to catch him, then pulling off a deke that made the goalie look silly. Now I'm not suggesting Raymond is anywhere near the world-class level of Bure, but it's hard not to get excited about the possibility of seeing that kind of talent on a nightly basis. He certainly possesses the kind of speed that can bring fans out of their seats whenever he touches the puck.
So far he is basically on pace to have the same type of season he had last year. It's not too hard to make the leap that should he gain more confidence and continue to get quality ice-time that the 25 year old winger won't continue to get better. Consider that this is only his third full year in the NHL, the possibilities of multiple 30 goal seasons is very attainable.
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