Prospect Info: Brad Lambert, 30th Overall, 2022 NHL Draft

[Flair Hay]

He'll get more ice time here than he will in Finland. I don't think it can do him any harm. If he's going backwards as you say in Finland, I'm not sure keeping him there and going even further backwards will do anything for him.

Also, just as a note to non-Jets HF regulars, repeatedly saying "he just sucks" or "he's dumb (ie no hockey IQ)" isn't really adding anything to the discussion.

I think the Finnish posters have more merit to their claims than most of us who only have a rooting interest in his career.

I think getting him over to the WHL makes the most sense. We almost need to "rebuild" the kid. His draft year basically resulted in negative progress.

With a year in junior, and a couple in the AHL, hopefully he can round out his game and eliminate a lot of the bad habits that are leading coaches to cut his ice time.

I hate being one to shit on a players career and pretend it has already played out. But I think it will take a lot of transformation for him to be a top 6 player for us.

 

[10Ducky10]

I think the Finnish posters have more merit to their claims than most of us who only have a rooting interest in his career.

I think getting him over to the WHL makes the most sense. We almost need to "rebuild" the kid. His draft year basically resulted in negative progress.

With a year in junior, and a couple in the AHL, hopefully he can round out his game and eliminate a lot of the bad habits that are leading coaches to cut his ice time.

I hate being one to shit on a players career and pretend it has already played out. But I think it will take a lot of transformation for him to be a top 6 player for us.

I'd be happy with a good 3rd liner to be honest.

 

[Flair Hay]

I'd be happy with a good 3rd liner to be honest.

I think that's a really fair expectation. Not saying Brad cant succeed in that role. Just the best 3rd liners are all sound defensive players, PKers, play with energy, etc. It can take guys until their late 20's to truly embrace the change in their game.

Ironically, its learning this stuff that can make a 3rd liner a 2nd liner, a 2nd liner a 1st liner,etc. We will see. Rooting for him.

I'd be happy with a good 3rd liner to be honest.

I think that's a really fair expectation. Not saying Brad cant succeed in that role. Just the best 3rd liners are all sound defensive players, PKers, play with energy, etc. It can take guys until their late 20's to truly embrace the change in their game.

Ironically, its learning this stuff that can make a 3rd liner a 2nd liner, a 2nd liner a 1st liner,etc. We will see. Rooting for him.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

It is not up to Finland. If he is in Finland in the fall that on the Jets/Lambert not "Finland". They have 0 power in this situation.

But high and mighty Ross Lambert has the power he'll do everything what he could for Brad's career
and if it requires whine and cry to GM for Brad's role in the team or developement environment Ross will do that

 

[10Ducky10]

I think that's a really fair expectation. Not saying Brad cant succeed in that role. Just the best 3rd liners are all sound defensive players, PKers, play with energy, etc. It can take guys until their late 20's to truly embrace the change in their game.

Ironically, its learning this stuff that can make a 3rd liner a 2nd liner, a 2nd liner a 1st liner,etc. We will see. Rooting for him.


I think that's a really fair expectation. Not saying Brad cant succeed in that role. Just the best 3rd liners are all sound defensive players, PKers, play with energy, etc. It can take guys until their late 20's to truly embrace the change in their game.

Ironically, its learning this stuff that can make a 3rd liner a 2nd liner, a 2nd liner a 1st liner,etc. We will see. Rooting for him.

I'd guess by the time he makes the team, Lowry will be at the very end of his deal and he'd be playing with someone like Gus and one of the Russkies we drafted or something similar on the 3rd line.
If he makes the top 6 and plays with a couple of good defensive players, he could do alright.
One thing about Chevy, he doesn't rush prospects onto the team before they are ready. Gus is the only one I can think of off of the top of my head but even at that, they sent him back down. I'd be shocked if Gus doesn't make the team.

 

[Flair Hay]

But high and mighty Ross Lambert has the power he'll do everything what he could for Brad's career
and if it requires whine and cry to GM for Brad's role in the team or developement environment Ross will do that

One more red flag we can try to pretend doesnt exist. But it exists...

 

[Buffdog]

Source?

You're asking for the source of someone's guess?

 

[tbcwpg]

I think the Finnish posters have more merit to their claims than most of us who only have a rooting interest in his career.

I think getting him over to the WHL makes the most sense. We almost need to "rebuild" the kid. His draft year basically resulted in negative progress.

With a year in junior, and a couple in the AHL, hopefully he can round out his game and eliminate a lot of the bad habits that are leading coaches to cut his ice time.

I hate being one to shit on a players career and pretend it has already played out. But I think it will take a lot of transformation for him to be a top 6 player for us.

It's not about their opinion of Lambert and all about responding to many different people saying he's got bad hockey IQ. I think we get the point.

You're right, he needs to be treated like a player who's a few years away and I think junior is a good restart for him. I don't know why the Jets would want him in an environment where he's clearly floundering. Maybe a new team would help - one of the Finnish posters suggested Jokinen is doing well so far so that could be good too.

If he doesn't work out, he doesn't work out. I think it was worth the gamble either way.

 

[10Ducky10]

There's gonna be a lot of teams watching his development, that's for sure.

 

[ecolad]

The Lambert situation could be distilled down to one thought - for whatever reason, his overall development seemed to stall prematurely and inexplicably quite some time ago. It seems a decent gamble for a team to take him late in the 1st round of the draft draft with the expectation that they can regenerate it. Whether the Jets have the development moxy to make this work, or not, is not clear to me.

 

[Atoyot]

That's not how our national teams play.


I'm repeating myself but Lambert's issues are not related to confidence. They're simple hockey IQ and willingness to play team hockey.

I find it difficult to buy that considering how different he looked as a player in the 2021 WJC. You don't lose Hockey IQ in a year and a half in your most critical stage of development, you lose confidence and direction. He has a lot to work out for sure but I'm still optimistic.

 

[Jussi]

I find it difficult to buy that considering how different he looked as a player in the 2021 WJC. You don't lose Hockey IQ in a year and a half in your most critical stage of development, you lose confidence and direction. He has a lot to work out for sure but I'm still optimistic.

He was playing against juniors, where the game isn't as tactical and you can get away with things more.

 

[tbcwpg]

He was playing against juniors, where the game isn't as tactical and you can get away with things more.

He was also playing against juniors in this tournament. Something is different that's not just "hockey IQ". That's a lazy copout answer.

 

[surixon]

He was also playing against juniors in this tournament. Something is different that's not just "hockey IQ". That's a lazy copout answer.

He clearly has low confidence. All the tell tale signs are there, timid with puck, looking lost on the ice because he's overthinking things.

 

[Monkey D Luffy]

Kid looks like his confidence is shot this game. Timid plays. He's playing not to get benched again.

I'm no expert but benching an 18 yr old kid in a tournament like this after every misplay is probably the best way to kill his confidence.

 

[Jussi]

He was also playing against juniors in this tournament. Something is different that's not just "hockey IQ". That's a lazy copout answer.

The lack of hockey IQ is more prevalent when he's playing against men. HE's been benched due to not playing a team game. For what it's worth, Lambert commented on coach Pennanen:

Lambert kertoo avoimesti suhteestaan Pennaseen: "Hän on aina ollut todella rehellinen mulle"

Lambertin kisareissuun on kuulunut penkityksiä ja nelosketjun laiturin rooli.

www.jatkoaika.com

"We have a really good relationship with Pennanen. We talk really openly. He's always been really honest with me and I with him. We've had good conversations and via them been able to continue the games in the tournament."

 

[tbcwpg]

The lack of hockey IQ is more prevalent when he's playing against men. HE's been benched due to not playing a team game. For what it's worth, Lambert commented on coach Pennanen:

Lambert kertoo avoimesti suhteestaan Pennaseen: "Hän on aina ollut todella rehellinen mulle"

Lambertin kisareissuun on kuulunut penkityksiä ja nelosketjun laiturin rooli.

www.jatkoaika.com

Perhaps he's not ready to play against men full time. You can't say he looks good against young players where his natural athleticism gives him success and then ignore that he's playing against those same juniors 8 months later and just chalk it up to "poor hockey IQ".

 

[surixon]

I think it's also the role he's being asked to play. He's on the fourth line and clearly is being asked to play a safe and simplistic game.

I think it's interesting that we don't batt a eye about this when you see a skilled player on team Canada do likewise as a depth player but it seems to be a massive concern with Lambert on team Finland.

Anyhow I thought he started the tournament well but was likely playing too risky of a style for what the coach wanted in the role he was playing so he got his ice time reduced until he played the way his coach wanted.

 

[WolfHouse]

I think it's also the role he's being asked to play. He's on the fourth line and clearly is being asked to play a safe and simplistic game.

I think it's interesting that we don't batt a eye about this when you see a skilled player on team Canada do likewise as a depth player but it seems to be a massive concern with Lambert on team Finland.

Anyhow I thought he started the tournament well but was likely playing too risky of a style for what the coach wanted in the role he was playing so he got his ice time reduced until he played the way his coach wanted.

Maybe we should trade him to Florida... sounds like he's ready for PoMo.

 

[surixon]

Maybe we should trade him to Florida... sounds like he's ready for PoMo.

Finland is actually operating quite similarly from a deployment perspective as Moe prefers to operate.

I think people are over reacting a bit. He's going to have two more of these tournaments and will likely play a bigger role as he gets older.

He has a lot to work on in his game but he has a lot of time to do it.

 

[WolfHouse]

Finland is actually operating quite similarly from a deployment perspective as Moe prefers to operate.

I think people are over reacting a bit. He's going to have two more of these tournaments and will likely play a bigger role as he gets older.

He has a lot to work on in his game but he has a lot of time to do it.

I'd say... McGroarty didn't even make the team and we are like oh neither did Connor. Then Lambert who's a big gamble makes mistakes and the board goes full depression.

 

[Rengorlex]

I think people are over reacting a bit. He's going to have two more of these tournaments and will likely play a bigger role as he gets older.

I am fairly sure the tournament after this one is the last one he's eligible to play in. And as of now, I have my doubts he makes that team.

 

[DRW204]

kid went from being ehlers to god who knows what in a mere matter of few days. prospect overhype and overreact in full force.

 

[RustyCat]

Finland is actually operating quite similarly from a deployment perspective as Moe prefers to operate.

I think people are over reacting a bit. He's going to have two more of these tournaments and will likely play a bigger role as he gets older.

He has a lot to work on in his game but he has a lot of time to do it.

If this is true, then what role is he actually playing? If it is top six, then the expectations are to be offensively minded. If he is Lowry-line role then it is shut down, cycle and get dirty role, with some offence to chip in. If he is 4th line role then he would be using speed and playing primarily a defensively minded game, with limited expectation of offence. So if the assessment is correct then adjustments need to be made on fans' expectations given whatever role he is playing.

How has he been without the puck this tournament?

 

[surixon]

I am fairly sure the tournament after this one is the last one he's eligible to play in. And as of now, I have my doubts he makes that team.

You are correct he is a late bday so yes he gets one more if he's selected to go. I'd imagine his play for whichever league/club team will decide that.