Carson Lambos / 2021 Scouting Report #1
Stats/profile:
League: WHL Team: Winnipeg ICE
Height: 6’1” Weight: 201lbs. Position: Defensemen
Stats: 8 Goals, 24 Assists, 32 Points, 57 Games Played
D.O.B.: 1/14/03 BL2BL time: 1.75 seconds
Ranked:
5th By Dr. Tee Scouting
Letter (A-F) = consistency, A being most consistent
Number (1-5) = tier of talent, 1 being most talented
Hello my friends, and today we’re officially back from a little break, I just couldn’t wait for junior hockey to officially start, I’m just so excited, even though this draft won’t be nearly exciting as last year’s draft, or next year’s draft, it still has some good talent, and today we’re going to go over who I think is one of the most talented, if not the most talented defenseman in this years draft. He ended last year with a very good 32 points in 57 games only 6 points away from matching Brandt Clarke of the OHL and his point totals, and has a stellar World U17 championships recording 5 assists in 5 games. So, let’s dive right into this, I’ve been waiting, and waiting so let’s go!
Move - 2A
Carson Lambos is without a doubt one of the smoothest skating D-men in the 2021 draft especially at his size. He moves around the ice effortlessly, with such ease, and power which helps him to track down opposing forecheckers in the defensive end, and shutdown passing lanes. He controls gaps, and closes them, and is great at playing the body, before the puck when he needs too. I love watching him carry the puck up the ice with the high end mobility, and speed he brings. Now, some of you might think it’s hard to see a 6’1” 201 pound defenseman move that fast around the ice, but it’s almost identical to how Braden Schneider of this year’s draft is in that sense. He’s giant, and you don't think he’d be a great skater, but what comes with being big, is long, powerful legs, and strides that helps you both cover more ground, and move quicker on the ice. This is another reason why Carson Lambos is able to suppress offensive zone transitions, as well as defensive, so well. He’s able to find the open lane, and take it as if a Dylan Holloway would. He can simply move the puck with that amount of control at his size. You certainly don’t find that in a “big” defenseman every day. He’s not known for his agility but yet, he is very agile for his size. Now, maybe I’m a bit biased because I really like him as a player, but you have to think that the skill set is there, and just look back to Major Midget. If you find his ISO’s you’ll see there are some tools that really just haven’t fully developed to their top level in the WHL yet, and I do think they will catch up to him this year, and very, very soon, and that’s why I like Lambos’s skating so much.
Dangle/Give - 1C
Carson Lambos is a great puck moving player, that suppresses dangerous offensive chances very well with both his stick work in front of the net, and in the dirty areas, as well as with his stickhandling. And let me just sum this up for everyone here, he has flat out, hands down, whatever you want to call it, the best hands by a defenseman, and maybe in the entire draft, in this draft! His raw tools, and ability to always get the puck to the net, and almost always create some sort of commotion, just tell that doesn’t seem like Bobby Orr! Now, I’m not saying that he is the next Bobby Orr, but the tools really remind me of him. He loves to rush the puck up the ice, even though you really don’t see it that much in junior, I kind of feel like he’s Miro Heiskenen. He’s really better than he thinks he is. There’s a whole nother level that he has that he really just hasn’t unlocked yet. And I think that extra confidence will come with both growth, and maturity as he hits the pro level. He has been known to make defenders look silly, and I think there’s very little players in the world that can take the skill they have in the Midget level of hockey, and transition it to the jr. A, junior, and even pro levels, and I think Carson Lambos is one of the few players that have that ability to transfer their skill to those higher levels, and it’s only a matter of time before he realizes that. In terms of feeding other players, and passing the puck, I think this is where Lambos really hits his popular stride. He’s able to start up breakouts, and finish them off like no other player in this draft, and is great at executing the puck out of his own end. He makes smart passes in all three zones of the ice, and is great at both QBing a power play, head manning the puck, and killing PKs. I really think that the right player over, and over consistently, and being very disciplined as a player in general is what makes Lambos such a valuable pick.
Snipe - 2A
Carson Lambos is great at generating shots from the point for either tips, or rebounds. His hard slapshot, and one timer makes forwards, and defenders wish they were on the bench, and not in front of it. Thanks to his supreme size, and strength Lambos is able to dig pucks out of puck battles close to the point, and then quickly get a snapshot, or wrist shot on net. He has a Kaiden Guhle like slapper, and one-T. Not possessing a big wind up, allowing him to get his shot off quickly is why Lambos was able to rack up 8 goals. He has a great shot selection, and knows both when to shoot, and not to shoot, or when to shoot, and how to shoot. Being the owner of 109 shots in a year that shows he’s great at generating shots, and not exactly hopping for a goal instead for an easier deflection, or rebound like I’ve said before which I think is something that only the most mature defenseman have at the age of 17. That’s another reason why I think Lambos’ is an unbelievably talented player. He already understands the fact that not every time you’re going to get that big play, or goal. He constantly puts pressure on the opposing teams defensive which is why both he, and the Winnipeg Ice finished 2nd in the three division. Lambos has a unique ability to just be a smart shooter. Meaning, he has the power, he has the strength, but what makes him just an overall great player in the offensive end is his smarts which we’ll talk about more in his defensive side. In terms of a high end point producer I think he can hit up to 55+ points in his career, put more realistically be a smart 30+ point player consistently.
Defense - 1B
Carson Lambos is an extraordinary two way player with excellent positioning which he can deeply credit his smarts for. As one of the top defensemen coming into the 2021 draft he seems to be the most reliant in his own end closely followed by Luke Hughes. His gap control is the literal meaning, and definition of perfect, and which he can use to shut down even bigger, and more experienced players in the WHL. He!s a player you’d want to put out at the end of a game when your team is just up a goal with a minute to play. He’s probably one of the more projectable d-man because of this. I enjoy his puck play, and skill put what I enjoy Lambos most for is his complete game. He is always in position, and ready for the next play and is great in corners, and clearing out the front of his net with his superb physicality, and size Carson Lambos is set to be the next big thing in his own end similar to what Mark Giordano is of the Calgary Flames. He just never lets a goal in, and always puts them in. Scoring 3 game winning goals, and having a +20 rating is no easy feet for a player that plays like Lambos, and only a handful of people can really just play the game like Lambos does. I really can't say anymore but Lambos is just a great player in his own end, and will continue to be one in the coming future if he can carry l over his confidence, and ability to lock down the major scoring areas around the ice. This is why I think he should go so high in the draft and realistically does have a shot at going 1st overall especially with the potential he really has and 75% of that potential coming from his play in his own end.
Overall - 2A
Lambos is the next Victor Hedman, or Miro Heiskenen. The talent that he has that hasn’t fully been unlocked yet, but is way, way above average and has the upside to get him really anywhere between the no. 1, and no. 3 overall picks. He’s also a Morgan Reilly like defensemen, that generates great offense from the point, and that can end up being the steal of the draft just like Reilly was in 2012.
Two way
Physical
High end upside pick
Player Comparison: Morgan Reilly/Miro Heiskenen
The points may not get to just quite how high Reilly’s, and Heiskenen’s will turn out to be but the drive, willingness to play an excellent team game, physicality, level of maturity as well as skill is what makes these two players the right comparison for this player. The three generate excellent offense from anywhere on the ice including the point, and almost never never make a mistake anywhere on the ice, and especially with possession of the puck.
Here’s all tracked stats: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19CW-CLa1a9EkUVTmBTezaH3LbA2CDoA5CC6SJWuI-d8/edit
Here’s some highlights: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K3hgKy5twVo