The New York Islanders have hired Lane Lambert of Swift Current, Saskatchewan as their new head coach according to the Associated Press. The hiring is an interesting one for the Islanders, because Lambert had been a long-time, 11-year assistant or associate coach under Barry Trotz of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who the team fired a week ago. At first glance, it appears the Islanders are not going to change their strategic play much at all under general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Lambert played six seasons in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques from 1983 to 1989. A center, Lambert had 58 goals and 66 assists for 124 points in 283 games. He was a -20 with 521 penalty minutes, 10 power-play points, six game-winning goals, and 347 shots on goal. Of Lambert’s 10 power-play points, he had one power-play goal. It came in a 7-4 Red Wings win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 26, 1983.
Lambert also had two NHL career hat tricks. The first came in a 4-3 Red Wings win over the Calgary Flames on December 28, 1984, and the second came in a 6-4 Nordiques win over the Boston Bruins on April 5, 1987.
As a coach, Lambert was the head coach of the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League from 2003 to 2005, and the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League from 2007 to 2011. Since 2011, Lambert has been a NHL assistant/associate coach with the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and Islanders, winning a Stanley Cup in Washington in 2018.
