Blackhawks Draft Targets: Two-Way Defense in Carson Lambos

The Blackhawks would be adding a solid two-way defenseman for the future in Carson Lambos.

The Blackhawks should look to add Carson Lambos in the draft as he is a two-way defenseman, something the team lacks. Lambos’ ability to play a physical game, as well as a skill game, will also pay off in the long run. Lambos comes in at 6’1″, 200 lbs, adding much-needed size to the defense. Will he be a top defenseman for the team? Time will tell.

As for his potential, sources say that he has the potential to be a top-pairing defenseman. Due to a shortened season, scouts don’t know very much about him other than that he is a mobile, fast defenseman who can play the body when called upon.

He never joins the rush aggressively but is instead the trailer on the play. He is able to elude heavy forechecking pressure, something that will do him very well in a division full of heavy teams who love to get in on the aggressive forecheck.

Offensively, the consensus is that he has a heavy shot, one that can only improve as he gets stronger with time. He is said to be the triggerman on the powerplay more than the quarterback, but he is more than able to head the top-powerplay unit if called upon. Overall, he is a shoot-first player who would be the target of offensive plays, but he is more than capable of becoming the playmaker instead.

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Defensively, as top-defensemen should be, he is an excellent defender who can shut down the opposition’s top line. He is also very strong on his feet and can clear out the opposition against the boards with body checks.

On top of this, he is a vocal player who will instruct forwards where to go and is quick to pinpoint leaks in coverage (something this team really needs). He can handle killing the entire 2-minute penalty on the PK, and is quick to read set-up plays made by the opposition. He can break up those plays and send a stretch pass to start a play on the rush.

Lambos would be a great pairing with Adam Boqvist or Nicolas Beaudin as he wouldn’t get too involved in any rush play, and be the first guy back. These two are offensive defensemen, so having a dependable partner who can break up plays to back them up would be essential. If the Blackhawks want Adam Boqvist to be their next top-pairing defenseman, they need to be smart and draft (or sign) a defensively dependable guy to pair with him. Lambos could be that guy.

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Essentially, Carson Lambos is a jack of all trades. He is able to do pretty much everything and is not a master in just one aspect of the game. With proper development, Lambos could replace Duncan Keith upon his retirement. If he is drafted, you can expect Keith (if he hasn’t retired upon Lambos’ arrival) to be very close to the young d-man, mentoring him in every aspect of his game, on and off the ice.

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