Another Stanley Cup winner has been added to the front office of the Prince George Cougars.
The WHL team announced Tuesday that Mark Lamb had been selected as the team's sixth general manager since the club moved to Prince George in 1994. The former NHL player and 1990 Cup champ with the Edmonton Oilers will lead the Cougars into their 25th anniversary season (he contributed significantly to that championship, putting up 17 points in 22 playoff games that year).
On the ice Lamb played 403 NHL games, scoring 46 goals and adding 100 assists spread among the Calgary Flames, Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens. He also played professionally in the IHL, AHL, Central Hockey League and Deutsche Eishockey Liga after a junior career in the SJHL and WHL. He retired in 2000.
Off the ice, Lamb has been an assistant coach at the NHL level for a total of seven years between the Oilers and Dallas Stars before assuming head coaching duties for the WHL's Swift Current Broncos, later adding the general manager title as well.
Most recently he was head coach for the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners (farm team for the Arizona Coyotes).
"Mark is someone who I'm quite familiar with and have a lot of respect for from playing under him in Edmonton," said Eric Brewer, shareholder with EDGEPRo Sports & Entertainment (owners of the Cougars). "When going through this process, it was very clear how much respect he has in the hockey world and the reputation he has garnered."
Lamb, 53, was born in Ponteix, Sask., but grew up in Swift Current. His introductory deal with the Cougars is for four years.
"Firstly, I'd like to thank the ownership group for this opportunity and I'm excited to join the Cougars organization," said Lamb. "I'm familiar with several people within the organization, including Richard Matvichuk, Steve O'Rourke and having coached Eric Brewer. In speaking with Eric and the ownership group, they made it clear they're deeply committed to making this organization a destination in the WHL. I'm very familiar with that process, having done that in Swift Current and that's why I think this a great fit for my family and I."
Brewer added that, "He brings years of experience in player development, coaching and management at both the junior level and at the pro level. In our conversations, it became quite clear Mark shared the same vision our ownership group has for this franchise going forward. By signing a multi-year contract, Mark has shown how committed he is to our organization and Prince George."
Lamb the player was renowned for above-average tenacity, with a spark-plug effect led by work ethic and playmaking abilities that put team first whenever he was on the ice. That led the Calgary Flames to draft him 72nd overall in the 1982 NHL Draft.
When Lamb was in the Red Wings organization, a team overabundant in play-making forwards, they put the young centre on waivers but he was grabbed by the Oilers who already had their eye on him.
In a report by the Edmonton Journal that year, Oilers GM Glen Sather said of Lamb, "He played well against us in the playoffs. He's a feisty kid. He had a fight with Randy Gregg. Getting him (without dropping anybody from the protected list) is a windfall."
One year ago Lamb was listed by The Hockey News as one of the five most likely candidates to get the head coaching job of the Arizona Coyotes (along with Bob Hartley, Todd Nelson, Dallas Eakins and our own Jim Playfair). When 'Yotes management went instead with Rick Tocchet, the dominos began to fall to have Lamb arrive in Prince George by the next cycle of the calendar.
When asked what he brings to the position, Lamb was quick to point out his experience.
"I've been involved in coaching and managing in hockey for the past 17 years and have done several different jobs in scouting, coaching and management in this league and at the professional level. I have a strong work ethic, a passion for the game and I'm patient and I think those traits are key in building up a franchise."
Lamb added, "Building a winner takes patience but it starts with our players. Players need to enjoy themselves on and off the ice and we're going to instill that culture here."
Lamb replaces Todd Harkins as general manager of the Cougars. The team chose not to renew Harkins's contract and had been seeking a replacement since late March.
