Lane Lambert
Birth dateNovember 18, 1964 (age 61)
Birth placeMelfort, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height6 ft
Height in0
Weight lb185
PositionForward
ShootsRight
Played forDetroit Red Wings
New York Rangers
Quebec Nordiques
Düsseldorfer EG
HC Ajoie
League coachNHL
Team coachSeattle Kraken
Draft (1983)25th overall
Draft teamDetroit Red Wings
Career start1983
Career end2001
Career start coach2002

Lane Douglas Lambert (born November 18, 1964) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted 25th overall in the second round of the 1983 NHL entry draft, Lambert played 283 games in the NHL for the Quebec Nordiques, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings between 1983 and 1989.

Coaching career

Lambert was hired as the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) in July 2007,[1][2] a position he held until he was promoted as an assistant coach for the Nashville Predators on June 9, 2011.[3] He was also an assistant coach with the Washington Capitals during their 2018 Stanley Cup run, however he signed with the New York Islanders after head coach Barry Trotz signed with the team in 2018.[4]

After Trotz's firing following the 2021–22 season, on May 16, 2022, Lambert was promoted to head coach of the Islanders.[5] The Islanders fired Lambert on January 20, 2024, after the team started the 2023–24 season with a 19–15–11 record and were out of playoff contention at that time.[6][7]

On June 5, 2024, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that Lambert had been hired as an associate coach.[8]

On May 29, 2025, the Seattle Kraken named Lambert the third head coach in the franchise's history.[9]

Awards

  • WHL Second All-Star Team – 1983

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1980–81Swift Current BroncosSJHL5543549763—————
1981–82Saskatoon BladesWHL724569114111511225
1982–83Saskatoon BladesWHL64596011912664377
1983–84Detroit Red WingsNHL73201535115400010
1984–85Detroit Red WingsNHL69141125104—————
1985–86Detroit Red WingsNHL34235130—————
1985–86Adirondack Red WingsAHL45162541691655109
1986–87New York RangersNHL1822433—————
1986–87New Haven NighthawksAHL1133619—————
1986–87Quebec NordiquesNHL155510181324630
1987–88Quebec NordiquesNHL6113284198—————
1988–89Quebec NordiquesNHL1322423—————
1988–89Halifax CitadelsAHL5925356016240222
1989–90Düsseldorfer EGGER62684—————
1989–90Canadian national teamIntl5428366448—————
1990–91HC AjoieNLB3640458582101171830
1990–91Canadian national teamIntl41010—————
1991–92HC AjoieNLB3551388912591051514
1992–93HC AjoieNLA2522163828—————
1993–94HC La Chaux-de-FondsNLB363929686255278
1994–95SC LangnauNLB3637448160754933
1995–96SC LangnauNLB33394079648741114
1996–97Cleveland LumberjacksIHL75242044941345921
1997–98Cleveland LumberjacksIHL39410146030000
1998–99Cleveland LumberjacksIHL368101861—————
1998–99Houston AerosIHL921341941526
1999–00Houston AerosIHL772193088721310
2000–01Houston AerosIHL6610122270701111
NHL totals28358661245211724640

Head coaching record

TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GWLOTLPtsFinishWLWin %Result
NYI2022–238242319934th in Metropolitan24Lost in first round (CAR)
NYI2023–244519151149(fired)————
NYI total127614620  241 playoff appearance
SEA2025–2682343711796th in Pacific———Missed playoffs
SEA total82343711  ———
Total209958331  241 playoff appearance

Personal life

Lambert was born in Melfort, Saskatchewan. His wife died on September 16, 2015, from breast cancer.[10] They had one daughter together and Lambert has another daughter from a previous marriage.[11]

Lambert has two brothers, Dale and Ross, who also played ice hockey.[12] His nephew Jimmy played for the University of Michigan,[13] while his other nephew, Brad, was selected 30th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL entry draft.

References

  1. ^ "Milwaukee Admirals - Lambert to Lead Admirals Ship". Archived from the original on 2007-09-03. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
  2. ^ "Admirals' Lambert gets the call to NHL's Nashville Predators". 9 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Lane Lambert Named New Preds Assistant Coach". NHL.com. June 9, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  4. ^ Pat Pickens (November 26, 2018). "Trotz receives Stanley Cup ring from Capitals". NHL.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  5. ^ "Lambert Named Head Coach". NHL.com. May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  6. ^ "Roy hired as Islanders coach, replaces Lambert". NHl.com. January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  7. ^ Clark, Ryan S. (January 20, 2024). "Islanders fire Lane Lambert, hire Patrick Roy as coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "Maple Leafs Add Lane Lambert To Coaching Staff". NHL.com. June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  9. ^ Condor, Bob (May 29, 2025). "Search is a Success: Lane Lambert New Coach". NHL.com. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  10. ^ Prewitt, Alex (September 27, 2015). "Andi Lambert, wife of Capitals assistant Lane Lambert, dies at 45". Washington Post. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  11. ^ Bryan Mullen (October 26, 2011). "Hockey Fights Cancer Initiative Holds Special Meaning For Coach Lambert". NHL.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  12. ^ "Lane Lambert". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  13. ^ "Meet the 2018 development camp invites". flamesnation.ca. July 3, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2019.