Crying over the Leafs passing up the opportunity to draft Brad Lambert rn.

Lambert's not something we needed and I got a feeling hes gonna be a locker room cancer as the attitude issues are notable. Yes hes got some offense but do the Leafs need that no.

Like being scratched in the finals of the WJC would have been news headlines if we drafted him

Besides we dont really have need for more wings. What we need are Centers and yes Lambert is listed as one but hes more of a wing.

Now if there was a way to do it Owen Beck would have been nice but hey I got a feeling with time and development Minten paired with Knies and Grebenkin are gonna be a force

He has looked really dangerous



But I am still cool with not having Mrázek on the books. Picking Minten, well that’s a different story

The thing for me is that it wasn't even a hypothetical at the time of the trade. I get that it's "moving down 13 spots" to dump Mrazek which, based on historical pick value, is a good deal. But we weren't dealing in pick numbers at the time. We were on the clock and Brad Lambert was there. He was ours for the taking and they decided to pass that up. Could have and should have found a different deal. Lambert is that good and it was so f*cking obvious.

Though I won't write Minten off (I usually have doubts about picks under Dubas and I usually end up proven wrong), that pick was salt in the wound.

Idk Lamberts issues lie elsewhere. I think we all knew the offensive talent.

It’ll be interesting to follow - I don’t think Lambert should play with the NHL squad this year and if he does it’ll hurt him tremendously (so let’s hope Chevy send him down).

There's just not nearly enough behind these so-called issues (at least not known to the public) to justify passing up this type of talent in the late 1st, especially A) in a draft that wasn't super strong and B) for a team like the Leafs that needs to find ways to inject high-end talent into the system while being a competitive team.

Absolutely this

Oh I’m not talking about the off ice/ attitude stuff. More his on ice issues.

I loved the kid pre draft he was who I was as screaming for the Sharks to pick, and I was devastated initially when the Sharks said Filip instead of Brad lol. I’m came around on the pick however.

But for Brad his issues lies in his one dimensional play (it is stellar for being one dimesion lol). He lacks any physical play, and since he often attempts to be a one man army - he just runs into a brick wall sometimes. And that lack of physicality also doesn’t pair well with the lack of any defence whatsoever. His shot isnt anything special either. All this combined against NHL competition could see him really struggle to get any consistency long term.

And for a guy that talented to then barely improve in his league predraft with the potential he has - is concerning for two years straight.

Then you can also add the off ice/ attitude stuff too. But yeah wasn’t referencing that stuff.

I mean, Lambert got passed on for a reason, he has that high potential but right now, he’s a transition and passing monster that doesn’t do anything else well, he’ll need to develop his shot, defense and physicality most likely to be able to have a high impact, you add that with having 4 stints on different teams in 4 years ( Only reason I’m using stints is he left Pelicans then came back a couple years later to the Pelicans ) and the other off-ice stuff and you have yourself a prime example of a high-risk high-reward player

He’ll be a center in the NHL

I think his defensive play is fine. he does lack physicality but he has the potential to be a good forechecker. He doesn’t need to be Physhcsl to be effective

If he can build off that tho, look out. I mean if you are able to create offence off the rush, that makes you super dangerous.

Who knows how he will turn out, but right now it’s looking like HIS game will translate very nicely to the NHL.

Like in hindsight we could see him in a week get suspended for losing his temper and flipping off an opponent combined with mouthing off at his coach to scoring a sweet goal the following week. In a media driven city like Toronto that would be a death sentence in which he would be partly responsible for it. Like as we have seen in Liiga and WJC Lambert has the talent but hes been HS multiple times due to bad behaviour. Remember the finals last year. Final game Lambert is a HS. Coaches dont do that in a key game unless the player royally pissed them off

Don't really agree with that assessment. Physicality comes in different forms - he's not the type to lay people out but as far as engagement along the boards, he could benefit from some consistency and improvement in that area, but it certainly wasn't non-existent. It's also just such a fixable thing.

I don't know where this perceived lack of defense in Lambert's game came from, but I'm not having it. Dude uses his feet so effectively in that regard. Plays defense in the O-zone really well and tracks guys back through the neutral zone. Could improve his play once the opposition has possession established in his D-zone (you could say the same about the vast majority of prospects), but thanks to him, that happens a lot less while he's on the ice.

As far as his shot, yeah, nothing special, but not a particular weakness either, and again, improveable..

If he's developed that way - which he should be.

Every player that doesn't get taken 1st overall got passed on for a reason. Doesn't mean the reasons were good or the people passing on them were right to do so.

I’m not saying Lambert won’t be a good NHL player - I’m just saying what’s he showing isn’t anything new.

Like Jets fans are freaking out over Lambert and I probably would have a few moments too. But he’s always been known to be a good player attacking the zone or using some clean puck skills. Those reasons weren’t good enough to warrant a pick higher than 10 and all his negatives haven’t really improved across multiple seasons against competition that he should have been able to expose.

And imo his lack of using teammates for a guy who can actually display puck skills/ movement is worrying as a playmaker even if you think your teammates are “worse” than you doesnt mean your play should show it; and it often did. Nor does a playmaker really have the right to not move the puck being selfish as well… if you’re a playmaker you job is to arguably make your linemates better because of the opportunities you create.

If he’s put in the NHL this season he will become a spoiled good.

Like do I think Gushchin is already NHL ready after 6p/2gp; no. Do I think he deserved a longer preseason to build more confidence? Yes.

I think the Leafs should have taken Lambert as well but they made a smart move that you can’t really criticize given the need to revamp their net.

I think you're overstating the detriment of his areas of improvement and undervaluing the merit of his strengths. I guess only time will tell, but I hope you're right... I'd sleep easier.


If it so happens that I'm right about what Lambert can become, then yes, I absolutely can criticize that move the Leafs made. Passing up the opportunity to draft that caliber of player to dump that contract is lunacy.

In general Wpg's 1 dimensional system is perfect for him as they got a bunch of guys who play that similar style. What Toronto needs is a 2-way Center who pairs well with wings like Knies and Robertson. Beck was a candidate (till he got drafted elsewhere) but I got a feeling its the 2023 draft where we will find the guy if Minten doesnt take that next step

As 2023 has some good choices

You’re acting like this kid is a grown man. He did this stuff when he was 16, 17 YO. Every year kids in the draft are labeled as having bad character and it’s usually never a problem in the NHL. Barzal was passed on due to character concerns and look how that turned out.

I don’t think it gets talked about enough how bad his coach/linemates were in liiga. The system was awful and he played with the equivalent of 4th line grinders who don’t know how to do anything besides dump and chase. Obviously passing/transition play are his strengths , but he has an underrated shot and it will likely get better as he fills out. He’s one of those players who needs at least one linemate who can see the game the way he sees it. Barzal is the same way, I see a lot of similarities in their games.

And like I said before his defense isn’t bad and when he’s trusted his work ethic is solid. Assuming he’s developed as a center, he has a decent chance of being a top 3 player in the draft. He has star 1C upside.

Yeah but Eklund shouldn’t escape criticism for his lack of production so why should Lambert?

Eklund had a poor team and similar poor situations and he kept at it; didn’t produce as much as we would have liked. Doesn’t me he should escape criticism for not performing against competition he should have been better against if he wants to be held to a high standard. As lambert wants to be held to a high standard.

I completely agree about Lamberts upside but it doesn’t make him a Ryan Merkley’esc pick.

Again I can also provide examples of Gushchin; playing on the worst team in the OHL and that didn’t stop his spectacular play nor did he let it hamper his production.

If you’re going to hold Lambert, Eklund to high standards - they each need to be better. As if they have 1C/1LW potential; they shouldn’t be held back from high standards.

Lambert needs time to season and grow. My only major criticism that thinks he will fail is if he is put in the NHL this year. That’s all I’ve really held strong onto.



Sorry shouldn’t have worded it as can’t criticize.

I think the leafs made a good move but poor selection imo. They should have went with someone like Trikozov to make up for not picking the guy in Lambert.

Good to see Lambert doing well. I had him as #5 on my pre-draft rankings

World, meet Seamus Casey

And Fraser Minten exactly where he should have been