Surprisingly, the Boston Bruins haven't had any issues with scoring goals this season, sitting in fourth in the league with 72. While it's a positive sign for a team that didn't figure to have any success in that area, there is still urgency within the organization to add high-end talent and skill to the depth chart. Former Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Brad Lambert checks both of those boxes.
Lambert had a tremendous first North American professional season with the Manitoba Moose, recording 55 points in 64 games. Winnipeg believed they had unlocked their former first-rounder, but a 20-point dropoff the following year has led to just 10 NHL games in three years. In just four games this season, he has one goal.
The Jets are seeing that Lambert deserves a fresh start elsewhere, and, luckily, the Bruins are having a ton of success acquiring young players from other teams. Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov stand out as two players who have become important to the Bruins this season after being acquired in 2024-25. Lambert, with his potential still largely unrealized, could be another savvy addition.
Another potential trade target emerges to boost Bruins' offensive depth
Lambert was one of the top prospects in his class before a poor World Juniors and Liiga season in his draft year plummeted his stock. It has been an inconsistent mix of play for him ever since the draft-day slide, but it could take the right coach to get him in the correct mindset. There's no reason to believe Marco Sturm isn't that coach after the work he's done early in his Bruins tenure.
One downfall of Lambert is that he has been playing pro hockey since 2019-20, when he made his debut in Finland's top league. While he is still only 21, he has plenty of experience under his belt, and you would hope that he would be further along in his development by now. That doesn't mean he can't reach another level, and it's worth a shot if the price is right.
A player that comes to mind is Fabian Lysell. He has been on a similar career path as Lambert, as a fellow former first-round pick. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to suggest that swapping prospects to give them a fresh start could benefit both teams. Given the way each of those players' developments has been going, the risk is worth the potential reward.