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Nashville Predators: What new Predators assistant coach Dan Lambert brings to Nashville

By Colton Pickard

KELOWNA, CANADA - OCTOBER 25: Dan Lambert, head coach of the Kelowna Rockets speaks to players on the bench against the Brandon Wheat Kings on October 25, 2014 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)
KELOWNA, CANADA - OCTOBER 25: Dan Lambert, head coach of the Kelowna Rockets speaks to players on the bench against the Brandon Wheat Kings on October 25, 2014 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images) /
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Dan Lambert has taken a promotion to join the NHL and the Nashville Predators after being the head man for WHL’s Spokane Chiefs for two years.

Nashville Predators General Manager David Poile announced that Dan Lambert would be joining the Predators as an assistant coach. Lambert led the Chiefs to the WHL’s Western Conference Final for the first time since 2011 and finished with an 81-46-5-6 record in his two years with the club. Poile was very excited to bring Lambert to the staff.

"“Dan is an experienced, passionate coach and will nicely round out our coaching staff in 2019-20 and beyond,” Poile said. “Having enjoyed a lengthy career as a player and now a coach, he has had success at every level running the power play, and we look forward to adding his knowledge and insight in this area to the organization."

Lambert is extremely smart when it comes to offense. He led the Chiefs to the third most goals scored last season. But there is one area where Lambert excels on the ice which is why the Predators hired him. Lambert is phenomenal in taking advantage of power plays. He led the Chiefs to the league’s best power play last season. Power plays may be the most frustrating thing in hockey when your team doesn’t score, and that’s one area where Nashville struggled in last season.

In fact, the Predators struggled so much on power plays that they scored zero goals during power plays in the playoffs. Not only is it frustrating when the Predators don’t score on any power plays in a game, but it is even more frustrating when they leave so many goals on the ice throughout the playoffs. Nothing is more frustrating than being down by a goal or being tied and having a power play and not scoring. The Predators failed over and over again in this area throughout the season, so it’s nice to see they are addressing their biggest issue this offseason.

If Lambert can bring what he did in the WHL to the NHL, it might be difficult for the Predators to keep him. Every hockey team wants to take advantage of all of their power plays and score every chance they get. If Lambert comes in and turns the Predators’ power play performance around and leads them to dominant success, I don’t see Lambert being in Nashville in a couple of years. It could also be the complete opposite, and he could flop and have no success at the highest level and keep the Predators where they are, but let’s hope for the former.

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Lambert is a huge addition for Peter Laviolette and the Predators. If the Predators can turn around their offensive struggles, they could very well be back in the Western Conference Final and maybe even the Stanley Cup Final. Lambert seemed to be very excited to join the Predators as well. He said he is glad to finally be apart of the home team for games inside Bridgestone Arena next season.

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