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

[Zippity]

Dissecting Brad Lambert’s Liiga troubles

Why hasn’t Lambert enjoyed the draft year success that was expected from him?

draftlookhockey.substack.com

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

He’s a barely a risk at 30. He has better tools than anyone else left in the draft, and playing against men has exposed his weaknesses earlier than those still playing in juniors. It won’t take a miracle for him to become a top-9 forward.

 

[Ippenator]

He’s a barely a risk at 30. He has better tools than anyone else left in the draft, and playing against men has exposed his weaknesses earlier than those still playing in juniors. It won’t take a miracle for him to become a top-9 forward.

If you know a shop that sells good hockey IQ, then a miracle might not be needed. But if those shops aren’t around, a great miracle is unfortunately needed.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

If you know a shop that sells good hockey IQ, then a miracle might not be needed. But if those shops aren’t around, a great miracle is unfortunately needed.

I’d say processing speed is the only thing that is ”fixed”, and Lambert is good in that regard. Recognizing when to dump the puck or just make a simple pass instead of waiting for a perfect opportunity is something that pretty much everyone learns to at least some extent.

 

[Ippenator]

I’d say processing speed is the only thing that is ”fixed”, and Lambert is good in that regard. Recognizing when to dump the puck or just make a simple pass instead of waiting for a perfect opportunity is something that pretty much everyone learns to at least some extent.

Except he has also serious problems with recognising what is the right decision in each situation as well as clear problems with even seeing when a teammate is open for passing. These kind of problems are the key issues for players with hockey IQ problems and unfortunately there isn’t really any easy way to solve these kind of problems. Usually hockey IQ problems are the least fixable ones when a young player has clear weaknesses.

 

[FinJetster]

Brad Lambert Q&A: No. 30 pick talks his speed, what's next, Lahti and more

Brad Lambert is a player with skill, speed, and the kind of easy talent that's highly noticeable on the ice. But what's he like off the ice?

theathletic.com

Anyone with the Athletic, a nice interview pre draft.

I love how we're gonna have the Finnish mafia foaming at the mouth again in our forum. Christ.

Wouldn't bet on it. Laine was the generational wonder kid and superstar in Finland. While most already consider Lambert as the lost case here.
Finns also don't generally like the arrogance and egocentricity that many say Lambert possesses while Laine has his wacky sense of humor that makes him very likable. Which is another reason he has so many fans in Finland.

I do like that Brad seems to be ready to work his ass of to make it. While I don't like that he also says he don't listen to outside criticism. I think you should when it's justifiable so you could make your game more complete. You can work on your strengths AND your apparent weaknesses at the same time, after all.

I don't think playing in a junior league would make him any good any more. I think it would give him the wrong message. I do like the idea of him playing in the NA though. Especially if his father wouldn't travel with him. So Moose maybe?

 

[boydkc]

I can’t wait till the world junior championships happen and this guy lights it up for Finland wins the MVP and everyone is suggesting he slips right into the jets lineup.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Except he has also serious problems with recognising what is the right decision in each situation as well as clear problems with even seeing when a teammate is open for passing. These kind of problems are the key issues for players with hockey IQ problems and unfortunately there isn’t really any easy way to solve these kind of problems. Usually hockey IQ problems are the least fixable ones when a young player has clear weaknesses.

Maybe this is one of his better games then, but clearly he is capable of making those right decisions instead of dangling himself into a wall every time. Compare that to someone like Puljujärvi who actually can't seem to handle the puck and process the game at the same time. You can teach someone like Lambert, who can clearly see and react quickly to the play around him, to simplify his game, whereas with someone like Puljujärvi it's much more difficult because the problem is that his processing capacity gets overwhelmed easily leading to fumbling the puck and rushing passes.

 

[Jussi]

I saw the Sportsnet clip of him getting drafted and Creepy Pierre and the other guy were talking about how he should go to Seattle to play junior hockey, to get his confidence up. But that's not his issue. It's his hockey IQ, offensive and defensive awareness. I'm sure he could dominated a lot of players younger than him purely on his skating ability and puck handling. But would that make him a better hockey player? I, like most Finns probably here, would think those aspects and decision making would improve better by playing with players who have those. It wouldn't be the same in junior hockey. It's easier to watch how experienced players handle situations and what they do with and without the puck than watching junior players, most younger than yourself, just play end-to-end hockey, without clear offensive and defensive systems.

 

[cbcwpg]

NHL Network says his issue is all hockey IQ. He skates like the wind, but his feet are faster than his head.

 

[Ippenator]

Maybe this is one of his better games then, but clearly he is capable of making those right decisions instead of dangling himself into a wall every time. Compare that to someone like Puljujärvi who actually can't seem to handle the puck and process the game at the same time. You can teach someone like Lambert, who can clearly see and react quickly to the play around him, to simplify his game, whereas with someone like Puljujärvi it's much more difficult because the problem is that his processing capacity gets overwhelmed easily leading to fumbling the puck and rushing passes.

Of course I’m not claiming that he can’t ever make a good play, but the problem is still that he just can’t do it often and he makes terrible mistakes with the puck most of the time. I have watched him play in about 70 games in the last two seasons so I’m basing my criticism on all those games and not just on how he played at the best moments or his few best games during those seasons.

Lambert has exactly the similar kind of problems as Puljujärvi with just not being able to process the game well enough and seeing plays well enough and quickly enough. He is just a better skater than Puljujärvi, but much weaker and smaller physically. I would say that most likely Puljujärvi has a better NHL career than Lambert, although I’m not a big fan of Puljujärvi either. I never liked these clear low IQ - weak vision - kind of players. Lambert, Puljujärvi, Kasperi Kapanen, Kakko, Kempe or Athanasiou. Sure nice skating (not Kakko though) and some of them have even pretty good hands (Kakko has, but Puljujärvi definitely not!), but when you lack the hockey IQ you will be at best a pretty average player - even how great your skating skills or dangling skills are.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

You are showing a highlight clip which is a combination of the best plays he made during the season. Of course I’m not claiming that he can’t ever make a good play, but the problem is still that he just can’t do it often and he makes terrible mistakes with the puck most of the time. I have watched him play in about 70 games in the last two seasons so I’m basing my criticism on all those games and not just on how he played at the best moments during those seasons.

That was from one game. It's not a true shift-by-shift, but it's definitely not a highlights video either.

 

[Ippenator]

That was from one game. It's not a true shift-by-shift, but it's definitely not a highlights video either.

Well, ok that was true after all. There was just some clip in the beginning that was from another game, so that confused me a bit. But anyway he showed nothing special in that game either. And even if he did, it wouldn’t mean much, as it’s just one game. I saw a lot of the questionable decisions in that game as well, and holding on to the puck too much in that game too. Nothing shows good hockey IQ or great vision in that video. And I saw nothing like that in the about 70 other games that watched him play during the last two seasons.

 

[GeorgeJETson]

Thanks to all the Finnish posters for providing their feedback on Lambert.

I'm trying to stay positive on him as a player, but now starting to think he'll wind up going through a similar path to Vesalainen.

Grabbing one of the D available (Chelsey/Luneau) may prove to be the smarter decision. Hopefully one of the D will slip to #55, but I suspect that Chelsey and Luneau will be gone by then.

(Sorry for the tangent).

I'm going to just have to hope to that Lambert can turn things around and be a useful player, even if he winds up being a 3rd liner.

 

[Jets 31]

Put Lambert with Perfetti who is a really smart hockey player and lets see what happens. Speed kills.

 

[Daximus]

Put Lambert with Perfetti who is a really smart hockey player and lets see what happens. Speed kills.

I feel like Lambert and Ehlers could be really hard to contain if he works out. We would need someone whose good down low to run with them though.

 

[Ippenator]

Thanks to all the Finnish posters for providing their feedback on Lambert.

I'm trying to stay positive on him as a player, but now starting to think he'll wind up going through a similar path to Vesalainen.

Grabbing one of the D available (Chelsey/Luneau) may prove to be the smarter decision. Hopefully one of the D will slip to #55, but I suspect that Chelsey and Luneau will be gone by then.

(Sorry for the tangent).

I'm going to just have to hope to that Lambert can turn things around and be a useful player, even if he winds up being a 3rd liner.

In fact Vesalainen has the quite similar hockey IQ problems as well. I was in fact warning about it here already years ago. Of course I was hoping still for him to do better in the NHL than he did after all.

But even how much I have been criticising Lambert now, I definitely see him having better potential than Vesalainen. Lambert’s skating skills and even relatively good hands are that good that he should definitely be better for the NHL than Vesalainen.

Of course being better than Vesalainen doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything really great. But anyway I’m definitely hoping that Lambert can after all be clearly better than I’m expecting and could be a useful and good player for the Jets in the long run.

 

[Mogo]

This isn't true. There's no reports of Brad having any attitude issues. He has a dad who's meddling in the background and might have something to do with the constant team swapping, but I've never seen or heard anything that indicates Brad having a bad attitude. And he has not been "Kicked off" any team.

"Kicked" as in they got enough of his dad's show as for the attitude problems. I'll just leave that there. I know what I know

 

[ps241]

Of course he might even be worth of the small risk with the Jets 2nd pick at the end of the 1st round. But honestly I see a very small possibility for him to become a really successful NHL player.

Some people here have already pointed out that he is likely the fastest and best skater in the whole draft. He even has pretty good hands, and an ok shot as well. But that’s unfortunately where the good things end.

I saw him play in almost all his games last two seasons, and I have to say that I don’t like his hockey IQ at all. He is all about his fast skating and hanging on to the puck until he loses it eventually. If he rarely passes, he is usually inaccurate or late with his passes and causes difficulties to his teammates with this type of play. He is also lackluster with his defensive play, despite having the skating to be good with it if he really wanted to.

His dad is also a control freak who is demanding always the best spot for his son to play in and when it doesn’t happen they have changed teams. Happened already four times in last two years in Liiga. There has been also constant rumors about negotiations happening with several different teams during the season.

He seems like quite a problematic player who really is lacking with hockey IQ and character. Of course he could become a real gem if he somehow magically found himself a decent hockey IQ and a spine. Just doesn’t seem to me that it’s very likely to happen.

Very good cautionary tale type post. Every team took a pass for a reason. He will be a long shot but might be worth the risk at #30.

 

[B33R LEAGUE]

Put Lambert with Perfetti who is a really smart hockey player and lets see what happens. Speed kills.

I was just thinking this. Could be a match made in heaven.

Tell Lambert to stand in the background of the high/low slot and let Perfetti do all the thinking.

 

[Gm0ney]

Sometimes when a guy falls, he falls too far...gotta love the upside of this pick.

 

[DRW204]

Of course he might even be worth of the small risk with the Jets 2nd pick at the end of the 1st round. But honestly I see a very small possibility for him to become a really successful NHL player.

Some people here have already pointed out that he is likely the fastest and best skater in the whole draft. He even has pretty good hands, and an ok shot as well. But that’s unfortunately where the good things end.

I saw him play in almost all his games last two seasons, and I have to say that I don’t like his hockey IQ at all. He is all about his fast skating and hanging on to the puck until he loses it eventually. If he rarely passes, he is usually inaccurate or late with his passes and causes difficulties to his teammates with this type of play. He is also lackluster with his defensive play, despite having the skating to be good with it if he really wanted to.

His dad is also a control freak who is demanding always the best spot for his son to play in and when it doesn’t happen they have changed teams. Happened already four times in last two years in Liiga. There has been also constant rumors about negotiations happening with several different teams during the season.

He seems like quite a problematic player who really is lacking with hockey IQ and character. Of course he could become a real gem if he somehow magically found himself a decent hockey IQ and a spine. Just doesn’t seem to me that it’s very likely to happen.

Thanks for the detailed response.

With those concerns, why do you think one upon a time he was ranked considerably higher, just off the strength of skating (I doubt it a bit) ? Think 1-2 years ago he was top 5-10? Id think bad IQ or decision making or attitude/character were issues that were around back then as well. Just never improved on it as time rolled along? Appreciate that you have a lot of viewing and a qualified opinion on him.

 

[heretik27]

I like the pick at 30. There's enough raw talent there to grow into a pretty good player and all those teams passing him up hopefully lights a fire under him to train and grow as a player and person. We have a pretty talented group of forwards for him to play with once he's ready for the NHL.

 

[Romang67]

I think (or maybe hope) that there may be a large degree of overscouting going on. I just think it's unlikely that a player plays in the Liiga at age 16-17 and produces around a .3P/G without any kind of understanding of what's going on on the ice, unless they're an absolute physical specimen. Supposedly his underlying numbers were much better with JYP, so it sounds like the move to the Pelicans was a poor idea.

 

[kylbaz]

Anyone concerned about this pick, go back the last ten years and look at what has been drafted at the end of each round. You are lucky if your guy becomes a decent NHL regular, and we have the chance to have a star. It's a no brainer.