NHL reporter: the Finnish forward's trade request is unlikely to be honored

Forward Brad Lambert, 21, previously requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. The team has given his agent permission to seek a trade elsewhere.

Now The Athletic reporter Murat Ates has detailed Lambert’s situation and highlighted three points. The first is that Lambert did not request a trade because he is unhappy in Winnipeg.

– The second point is that it must be understood that Lambert’s request is not new. Winnipeg has been playing with a veteran-heavy roster since Lambert was drafted, and they won the President’s Trophy last season while Lambert was struggling in the AHL. Considering he turned 21 last December and scored 35 points in 61 AHL games last season, it’s no wonder Winnipeg relied on its veterans, Ates writes, understanding why Lambert, who has played four NHL games, is impatient.

– The third key point is that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff values Lambert. The Jets have been aware of Lambert’s NHL aspirations for 18 months or longer. They have no interest in trading him just because of his request. Winnipeg has a lot of leverage on its side, as Lambert can be moved between the AHL and NHL without being placed on waivers until the end of next season.

Ates is therefore not confident that Lambert’s trade request will be honored. The Finn will only be traded if Winnipeg receives an attractive package in return. In practice, that would be a player addition, along with a draft pick in addition to Lambert.

This season, Lambert’s performances have been lackluster. He has played four NHL games with 1+0 stats and four AHL games with 0+0 stats.