Yvon Lambert

[Normand Lacombe]

A 4-time Cup champion with the Canadiens in the 1970's, Lambert is remembered most as the player who scored in game 7 of OT in the 1979 Boston-Montreal series. In 1981, Lambert was exposed by Montreal in the Waiver Draft after recording 22 G, 32A and 54 Pts in 1980-81 with the Habs. Lambert was selected by Buffalo and was reunited with his former coach, Scotty Bowman. During his lone season in Buffalo, Lambert was the Sabres 3rd leading scorer, tallying 25 G, 39 A, and 64 Pts in 77 games. It would be Lambert's final NHL season. The next two seasons, Lambert would play in the AHL with Rochester before retiring.

What I don't understand is why did the Sabres demote him after scoring 64 points? Discounting Lambert's rookie season, Lambert was a consistent player throughout his 10 year NHL career, good for about 55-65 points a season. Did the Sabres want to make room for incoming rookies Andreychuk and Housley? I don't believe Lambert suffered an injury since he played two full seasons with Rochester. Some sites said he "jumped" to Rochester to be a player-coach. What's the story?

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[Canadiens1958]

Age and declining talent.

Yvon Lambert Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

Two indicators. AHL performance pre NHL and post NHL.

Also with the Canadiens Lambert was a 3-4th line LW with the Sabres, mainly 1-2nd liner.

 

[DannyGallivan]

What I find more curious about Lambert, who I thought was a 2nd liner with Montreal (two 32 goal seasons on the 3 or 4 line is pretty darned impressive) is that it had been rumoured that he didn't even learn to skate until he was a teenager. I don't know how accurate that is... can anyone shed some light?

 

[Canadiens1958]

What I find more curious about Lambert, who I thought was a 2nd liner with Montreal (two 32 goal seasons on the 3 or 4 line is pretty darned impressive) is that it had been rumoured that he didn't even learn to skate until he was a teenager. I don't know how accurate that is... can anyone shed some light?

Didn't play organized hockey until he was a teenager.

Initially - 1974-76 was a bit of a PP specialist with resulting inflated stats.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Didn't play organized hockey until he was a teenager.

Initially - 1974-76 was a bit of a PP specialist with resulting inflated stats.

Thank you. That is still pretty remarkable, in this age of kids barely into elementary school playing most months of the year.

 

[reckoning]

I believe he was a player/assistant coach in Rochester.

He was slowing down in the second half of the '82 season (only 4 goals in the last 25 games), and the time not many NHL forwards were still effective at age 32. He probably could've stayed on as a PP specialist for one or two more seasons, but maybe he decided getting some coaching experience was better for his future.

 

[double5son10]

I believe he was a player/assistant coach in Rochester.

He was slowing down in the second half of the '82 season (only 4 goals in the last 25 games), and the time not many NHL forwards were still effective at age 32. He probably could've stayed on as a PP specialist for one or two more seasons, but maybe he decided getting some coaching experience was better for his future.

Yup, playing assistant coach under Bowman protege Mike Keenan in 82-83, where they wom the Calder Cup, then under Joe Crozier the following year, where the Americans lost in the AHL Finals.
After retiring he spent a year coaching the Verdun Jr. Canadiens, then returned to the Habs organization in Public relations.
He was always a Bowman favorite. In Dick Irvin's Behind the Bench Bowman mentions how underrated he was. As others have noted he didn't begin playing until late, and his skating looked laborious, choppy, but he was a very heads up player, who understood his limitations, kept it simple and was a huge asset to the team by playing smart hockey. Middle six utility man who could provide a net front presence on the PP and was a good 2nd unit penalty killer.