Brad Lambert
- 2019-09-29 at KalPa - HIFK, A-SM by Jokke Nevalainen
Lambert played as the number two center for HIFK U20. He also ran their second power play unit from the half-wall and was part of their top penalty kill unit as well. He also played in overtime and scored in the shootout. All in all, he played 20:10 in this game.
At age 15, Lambert is already better than most players in the league in many aspects of the game. He has elite level skating ability. His speed is incredible and he seems to be able to glide effortlessly for long periods of time. Lambert also has some of the best hands in the league which allow him to make incredible plays with the puck. But his biggest strength may be his ability to process everything quicker than almost anyone else in the league. He does everything at a high level and as quickly as humanly possible.
Because of this tools, the puck is given to Lambert whenever possible. On the power play, he was the only one starting rushes from their own end. He didn’t try to do everything by himself, though, as he made good, sharp passes to his linemates most of the time. He had one incredible individual rush in overtime and drew a penalty from it.
Some may find his scoring rate early in the season a disappointment but that is mostly because he has set the expectations sky-high. It is also important to remember that Lambert is still adjusting to being a center at the A-SM level after playing at the wing last season. He is also clearly working on becoming a more well-rounded player, and the results of that are already visible because his defensive play has definitely improved from last season. He still needs to work on faceoffs, defensive zone play, and effort to skate back to the defensive zone. But knowing how much he has improved already, it’s only a matter of time before he masters those areas as well.
- 2019-08-27 at HIFK - Kiekko-Espoo, U20 by Lassi Alanen
Lambert was centering HIFK’s top line in their U20 season opener against Kiekko-Espoo. The 15-year-old was one of the most noticeable players on the ice, opening the scoring in the first period with a beautiful individual effort on the power play.
Lambert is already one of the best skaters in the entire U20 league. His ability to generate speed using crossovers is elite and his edgework is exceptional. Lambert’s speed allowed him to intercept plays in the neutral zone and backcheck effectively. He generates tons of offense at even-strength for both him and his linemates. He is a dual-threat as he can make very creative passes but also pick corners with his wrist shot. Lambert didn’t look physically overwhelmed, but he has a lot of room to add muscle as he ages. Playing center for the first time at this level, his positioning in the defensive zone was a bit off at times, but that is to be expected and he wasn’t a liability.
If Lambert continues to look as good as he did in this game, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets to make his Liiga debut sooner rather than later.
- 2019-08-06 at Czech Republic - Finland, Hlinka Gretzky Cup 2019 by Lassi Alanen
Being the youngest player on his team, Lambert had a very solid performance in Finland’s 1-5 win over the Czech Republic. He was playing on the second line together with Aatu Räty and Jesse Seppälä, and also got notable power play time on the second unit.
Lambert’s elite skill set was on display on many occasions. He is a shifty, dynamic skater who can carry the puck with speed through the neutral zone. Lambert’s skill level is also dynamic, as he is able to make plays at full speed and handle the puck with notable ease. Lambert also made multiple smart passing plays on rushes to set up his linemates. Despite being one of the youngest players in the entire tournament, he has competed fearlessly, which almost got him injured at one point.
Lambert should be a top player at the U20 league with HIFK next year, and he’ll possibly make his Liiga debut at some point during the season. Together with Matthew Savoie and Shane Wright, Lambert is looking like a potential contender for the top pick in 2022.
- 2019-01-09 at HIFK - Pelicans, U20 by Lassi Alanen
Lambert scored a goal with a beautiful wrist shot from a very tight angle in Pelicans’ 4-2 win over HIFK. The 15-year-old left-winger played south of 15 minutes on Pelicans’ third line and was also featured on the second power play unit.
Being the youngest player playing in the Finnish U20 league, Lambert looked ready both skill-wise and physically to play at this level. His speed, acceleration, and agility looked all very good for a player his age. When he had the puck, Lambert showed excellent stickhandling and impressive puck control.
Despite his age, he was driving the play and crossing the neutral zone with the puck quite often. Confidence is clearly not an issue with him, as he was asking a lot for the puck and showed no hesitation to engage along the boards. Lambert also flashed a very good vision on a couple of occasions. He did miss a few defensive assignments, but that is to be expected from an offensive winger playing against much older competition. Lambert’s point production at the U20 level has been nothing short of spectacular in the games that he has played there. I have every reason to expect that he will be a dominant player at this level next season.
- 2018-12-16 at Finland - Sweden, U16 by Miika Arponen
Lambert played in a 2nd line’s scoring role even though he was a year younger than everyone else – only 14 years old. He recorded one goal and one assist in the game.
Lambert’s offensive skills were evident throughout the game. He has a complete toolbox when it comes to attacking with very good and powerful skating, quick and accurate shot and above-average passing skills. He is very poised with the puck and sometimes sticks with it a bit too long, but he can also find open lanes well and can be a play-maker too.
While his offensive skills are superb, he has a lot to do with his defensive play. His positioning in the own zone is quite often a bit off, and he is a bit too eager in cutting passes for breakaways and odd-man rushes, which often results in him being out of place for defending.
All in all, Lambert is very talented player that is undisputedly one of the best of his age group in the world.
Statistics
Player statistics powered by www.eliteprospects.com
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | Playoffs | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
2015-2016 | Saskatoon Generals U15 AA | SAAHL U15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | ||||||
2017-2018 | Pelicans U16 | U16 SM-sarja Q | 19 | 28 | 19 | 47 | 16 | | | ||||||
Pelicans U16 | U16 SM-sarja | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | |||||||
2018-2019 | Finland U17 | EYOF | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | | | ||||||
Pelicans U16 | U16 SM-sarja Q | 6 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 29 | | | |||||||
Pelicans U18 | U18 SM-sarja | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | | | |||||||
Pelicans U20 | U20 SM-sarja | 17 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 18 | | | Playoffs | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | |
Finland U16 (all) | International-Jr | 8 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 2 | | | |||||||
Finland U17 (all) | International-Jr | 11 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 6 | | | |||||||
2019-2020 | HIFK U20 | U20 SM-sarja | 42 | 18 | 20 | 38 | 28 | | | ||||||
Finland U18 | Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | | | |||||||
HIFK | Liiga | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | | | |||||||
Finland U17 | WHC-17 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | | | |||||||
Finland U17 (all) | International-Jr | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | | | |||||||
Finland U18 (all) | International-Jr | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | | | |||||||
2020-2021 | JYP | Liiga | 46 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 18 | | | ||||||
Finland U18 | WJC-18 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | | | |||||||
Finland U20 | WJC-20 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | | | |||||||
2021-2022 | JYP U20 | U20 SM-sarja | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | | | ||||||
JYP | Liiga | 24 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 31 | | | |||||||
Pelicans | Liiga | 25 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | | | Playoffs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Finland U20 (all) | WJC-20 Cancelled | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | | | |||||||
Finland U20 | WJC-20 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | | | |||||||
Finland U20 (all) | International-Jr | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 27 | | | |||||||
2022-2023 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 14 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | | | ||||||
Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 26 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 12 | | | Playoffs | 17 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 8 | |
Seattle Thunderbirds | M-Cup | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | | | |||||||
Finland U20 | WJC-20 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | | | |||||||
Finland U20 (all) | International-Jr | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | | |
Player statistics © www.eliteprospects.com