One day after replacing Calle Johansson with former Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden, the Caps are likely to add former Nashville Predators assistant Lane Lambert to Barry Trotz’ coaching staff, sources have told CSNwashington.com.
Lambert, who spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach under Trotz, is expected to replace Blaine Forsythe, who was hired as an assistant coach under Adam Oates last summer.
He is expected to assist Trotz with the Caps’ forwards and special teams.
[RELATED: Capitals hire Reirden as assistant coach]
Lambert, 49, has spent the past eight seasons in the Predators organization. He had one year remaining on his contract in Nashville, but when Trotz was fired in April and replaced with Peter Laviolette, the new coach brought with him long-time assistant Kevin McCarthy to assist with the team’s forwards and special teams.
Lambert has one year remaining on his contract with Nashville but appeared to be the odd man out on the Predators’ coaching staff.
Lambert’s wife, Andi, is battling cancer, which led to him periodically remaining with her during chemotherapy treatments last season in Nashville.
“If you know anything about Lane, he is a fantastic young coach. Detailed and passionate,” Trotz told the Tennessean. “… He and his wife have been just rocks with some of the stuff they’ve been going through.”
Before joining the Preds Lambert was head coach of the AHL Milwaukee Admirals and led them to the playoffs all four seasons behind the bench, losing in the first round twice and in the second round twice.
He began his coaching career in 2002 as an assistant coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western League [two seasons] and as a head coach of the Prince George Cougars [two seasons]. He began his AHL coaching career in 2005 with the Bridgeport Tigers.
As a 6-foot, 185-pound center, Lambert was a second-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings [25th overall] in 1983. He played parts of six seasons in the NHL with the Red Wings, Rangers and Quebec Nordiques, finishing with 58 goals and 67 assists in 283 games.
He also played more than 400 games in the minor leagues, primarily in the AHL and IHL, where he won a Calder Cup with Adirondack in 1986, and helped the Houston Aeros win the Turner Cup in 1999.
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