KAMLOOPS | Santa Claus arrived a little late for the Seattle Thunderbirds last winter, but it was worth the wait as he brought them what was at the top of their wish list: Finnish-Canadian forward Brad Lambert.
The 19-year-old, a 2022 Winnipeg Jets first-round pick, was acquired by the Thunderbirds from the Saskatoon Blades on June 30, 2022 in exchange for several conditional picks.
Although a Canadian citizen, Lambert was raised in Finland and has lived most of his life there. The Saskatoon Blades had drafted him in the Canadian Hockey League’s European selection session, but he had chosen to stay in Finland.
The acquisition in June was therefore intended as a decisive step for the organization of the Thunderbirds. And hopes of seeing him end up in Seattle faded early in the season when the Jets decided to give him a spot at their school club Manitoba Moose.
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Brad Lambert during a friendly between the Winnipeg Jets and the Montreal Canadiens September 29, 2022.
After a first half of the pro season, the Jets loaned him out to Team Finland for the World Juniors and announced at the end of the tournament that they would trade him to the Thunderbirds for the remainder of the season.
“We didn’t expect to have him and his impact on our team has been tremendous,” said team head coach Matt O’Dette. When it arrived we were overjoyed. He’s an elite player.
A thundering duo
In addition to seeing Lambert land in their backyard, the Thunderbirds also added forward Dylan Guenther at the same time. The latter had also spent the first half of the season at the pro level, albeit in the NHL, with the Arizona Coyotes, who decided to bring him back as a junior after the World Championships.
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
And the chemistry between the two was right immediately.
“We play really well together,” agrees Lambert. We read well on the ice and the chemistry between us is right. Dylan is an incredible loner, but also an excellent playmaker.
“His speed is an incredible advantage,” added Günther. He creates space and pulls players towards him, which allows us to stand out.
Both players have proven their presence in the last few playoffs and helped the team win the WHL Championship. Günther led his team with 28 points in 19 games, while Lambert followed closely with 26 points in 17 games.
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At the Jets’ recommendation, Lambert landed in Seattle. They felt it would be better for his development to spend a full season in North America.
“I have to admit it was a disappointment for me to go back to junior level at the beginning. On the other hand, I want to take the chance now to win the Memorial Cup.
Looking back, he’s learned a lot over the past year and hopefully that experience will help him secure a place in the NHL next year.
“The game is different in North America. It’s much more north-south, whereas in Europe teams bring the puck back a lot instead of placing it in the back of the territory. I like it because transition play is one of my strengths and there is more of it here which allows me to use my speed to my advantage.