The search for the next head coach of the Richmond Sockeyes became an easy one with return of one of their best in franchise history.
Following a one-year hiatus, Judd Lambert will be back behind the bench for the 2013-14 Pacific International Junior Hockey League season. The club made it official at its yearend banquet Sunday at the Richmond Country Club.
Lambert enjoyed five outstanding seasons with the Sockeyes, highlighted by winning the Keystone Cup Western Canadian championship in 2009. He stepped down at the end of the 201112 campaign to spend more time with his young family. He still kept a close tab on the team through attending games and his father
- Maurice Lambert - who is part of the Sockeyes ownership group.
As a player, Judd backstopped the Sockeyes to a B.C. title in the early 1990s and earned a scholarship to play at Colorado College where he met his wife Amy. He was selected in the ninth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils and spent another five years playing at the professional level with stops in the East Coast Hockey League (Dayton, Augusta), the International Hockey League (Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, Orlando) and the American Hockey League (Albany, Providence, Cincinnati). He has since put his law degree to use, specializing in real estate.
He returns to take on what's expected to be a significant rebuilding job following the Sockeyes' championship season that included winning the PIJHL, Cyclone Taylor Cup and Keystone Cup titles. A core of 20-year-olds have graduated and number of other players are expected to jump to the higher tiers of junior hockey. The process begins this week as the club holds its prospects camp at the Richmond Ice Centre.
Lambert replaces Aaron Wilbur who stepped down to focus on his hockey related business.
Icing.
The Sockeyes handed out plenty of individual hardware at their banquet.
The winners included: Jeremy Hamaguchi (Most Inspirational), Adam Nishi (Top Defenceman), Daniel Tait (Most Improved), Danton Heinen (Rookie-of-the-Year, Most Popular), Daniell Lange (Three Star Award, Rookie-of-the-Year, Iron Man), Dean Allison (Leading Scorer, Most Valuable Player, Iron Man) and Stephen Campbell (Iron Man).
