Lane Lambert is set to become the third head coach in Seattle Kraken franchise history, the team announced Thursday.
Seattle Kraken sign forward John Hayden to a contract extension
Lambert, 60, is replacing Dan Byslma, who was fired after only one season as Seattle’s bench boss. Lambert is inheriting a Kraken squad that went 35-41-6 while missing the playoffs for a second straight season.
Lambert spent last season as an assistant on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ staff following a brief stint as the head coach of the New York Islanders. Lambert led the Islanders to the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs as a first-year head coach during the 2022-23 season after taking over for revered coach Barry Trotz. Lambert was let go by New York the following season after 19-15-11 start.
Lambert spent 11 total seasons as an assistant under Trotz, starting with three seasons with the Nashville Predators from 2011-14. He followed Trotz to the Washington Capitals for a four-year stint, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, before spending four more seasons under Trotz with the Islanders.
Seattle’s new coach has some familiarity with his new roster. He coached captain Jordan Eberle during his time with the Islanders, and Chandler Stephenson, Andre Burakovsky and Philipp Grubauer with Washington.
Lambert also spent four seasons as the head coach of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.
A native of Melfort, Saskatchewan, Lambert was a second-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 1983 NHL Draft. The former winger debuted the following season at just 19 years old and went on to have a six-year career in the NHL with the Red Wings, New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques (now Colorado Avalanche).
In 283 NHL games, Lambert notched 48 goals and 54 assists.
Lambert’s nephew Brad Lambert is a center in the Winnipeg Jets’ system.
Seattle Kraken trio help US win ice hockey world title