The Minnesota Wild used the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft to select defenseman Carson Lambos.
Carson Lambos
Position: Defense
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 201 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
Nationality: Canadian
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | 8 | 24 | 32 |
*stats from 2019-20 season (Stats source: EliteProspects.com)
Lambos was terrific for the Ice in 2019-20, but the pandemic caused a major interruption to his draft year. He was loaned to JYP of Liiga in Finland, where he played at three different levels. The WHL ultimately returned for an abbreviated season in 2021, but Lambos was limited to only two games.
The 18-year-old entered the draft as North America's 11th-ranked skater, but he doesn't possess the same offensive flair as some of the blue-liners ahead of him this year. However, he does project to be a solid two-way defender in the pros thanks in large part to his skating and hockey IQ.
What they're saying
"Lambos’ skating is good, and he projects to be able to rush pucks in the NHL and stay with fast forwards defensively. He has good speed and excellent edges and is able to pivot quickly and escape pressure at a high level. Lambos is hard to play against and regularly punishes opponents physically. The main question is his offensive upside. He makes a strong first pass and has good enough hands but isn’t a dynamic offensive type," says The Athletic's Corey Pronman.
