| Carson Lambos | Rink Hockey Academy U14 | CSSBHL | L | D | 6’1″ | 201 | Winnipeg Ice | Winnipeg, MB | 2003 | 2020-2021: A |
WHL: Winnipeg Ice NHL Prospects, May 2021: Lambos is an excellent defenseman who has the ability to make a difference at both ends of the ice. Skating for Lambos is a real strong point. He has an ultra smooth stride, and he plays with good edges. He is able to transition in his forward to backward skating with ease and doesn’t seem to lose a step. He seems to be able to skate backwards as fast as he can forwards. Defending against the rush, Lambos loves to attack right at the blue line. Using his good feet and strong base to engage puck carriers when they least expect it, or to at the very least, for an awkward release of the puck. Often times the result of his attacking is an offside. In his own zone, he pressures puck carriers with good physical play and pursues players with a relentless motor. He likes to force opponents into hurried decisions, and doesn’t like to give anyone a chance to think or even breath with the puck. Offensively Lambos shines with a mix of hand skills, quick feet, and a real intelligence. He quarterbacks the powerplay, and from the blue line he constantly pokes and prods at the defenders by moving his hips, changing his attack angles. He likes to draw defenders in by attacking from the blue line, and then dish out to the half boards. He has a wicked release, and a fantastic wrist shot. He uses it intelligently from the point. He moves pucks well in the offensive zone, and isn’t afraid to attack when he sees, or creates an opening. Moving pucks out of his own zone for Lambos can look too easy at times. Because of his good feet, he can slip through forechecks while carrying the puck. He carries the puck with confidence and constantly scans the ice for potential plays to make. He plays with deception, and is able to create opportunities with his athleticism and confidence. Grade: B+
WHL: 3 Winnipeg Ice 2020 NHL Draft Prospects Upgraded, One 2020 Prospect Added & Two 2021s too know, January 2020: Carson is a stud and has a chance to be special. He does everything very well, but his poise a demeanor are exceptional.
| Brain | Poise | Vision | Feet | Contact | Release | Compete | PP | PK | ||
| Dec | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | |
| Jan | 4.75 | 4.75 | 4.75 | 4.75 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 4.75 | 4.5 |
Canada Winter Games, March 2019: Strong physically and won wall battles. Out muscled opponents defensively to shut down offence. Boxed out in front, finished check in corners, and used long reach to be a complete shutdown force. With the puck he had great puck protections skills and did a good job getting his head up while moving his feet to deliver tape to tape passes. Ran the top of the power play and had a great shot scoring on both wrist and slap shots from the tops of the circles. Lots of potential. Grade: A-
CSSHL Showcase, February 2018: Carson was the best defenseman in the Showcase. He dictates the pace of play and can rush end-to-end whenever he wants with great success. His shot is heavy and very dangerous and he uses it often. His strongest asset is his skating, his stride is very smooth and he’s strong on his skates. He’s smooth with the puck and calm under pressure, and he makes hard/crisp passes in all three zones. The 2003 got into a bit of penalty trouble throughout the showcase. He does wear the “C”, but he needs to approach the refs with professionalism. Grade: A-
Rocky Mountain Classic Bantam, November 2017: A very enigmatic prospect. A ton of skill, talent and potential but some red flags in terms of his play as a teammate. A smooth skating defenseman who plays solid hockey at both ends of the ice. A workhorse for his team. He eats minutes and plays in all situations. A smart shooter on offense, and a great puck mover with both his feet and passing. He doesn’t mind mixing it up on the physical side either. On the downside at least one NZ scout questions either his vision or his hockey IQ. When rushing he gets blinders on, doesn’t see open teammates ahead of him and slows his team down due to his reluctance to move the puck forward. Often offensively he either looks off of quality passes because of his desire to get the scoring chance or he simply does not see open men. Tends to display some bad body language when officiating calls do not go his way. Grade: A-
Hockey Manitoba Bantam Showcase, October 2017: Carson is the prototypical two-way defenseman; he is a good as they come in his own end and can skate with the best of them when jumping in on the rush. The 2003 has great size at 6’0/180lb, and was always challenging forwards at the blue line and winning battles in the corner. Carson has a great point shot; he does well to keep his head when shooting and placing his shot well through traffic. Carson has the potential to get drafted in the WHL this upcoming summer. Grade: A+
Western States Bantam Invite, September 2017: Another elite defender. Such a strong skater and could explode up ice at any time with the puck to create scoring chances. Won races to loose pucks with his quickness. Physical in his end and has a bit of an edge. Like the vision/passing ability and has a heavy shot that is dangerous from anywhere in the zone. Likes to drop one hand off the stick and skate it up, using the spare hand to fend off would-be attackers. Took the pedal off the gas against some of the teams when the game was one-sided and we’d like to see him continue to play his game despite the score but that can’t always be the case. 5 games: 3 goals: 2 assists
Photo Credit: DUBNetwork/Zachary Peters