Dakota Lamb: Veteran Presence

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Dakota Lamb, entering his 3rd VHL season, and 4th season post-draft, is pretty happy with his career up to this point. A rookie of the year award, and two VHL seasons with point totals totaling above 70. 

 

However, this article is less about the on-ice product that Lamb provides, and more about off of it. Coming into the VHL as a rookie, Lamb had no idea what to expect. Never usually being the "go-to" guy, on and off the ice, he had a feeling it would be different on Warsaw, especially due to the fact that the franchise was brand new, without a culture, history, or leadership group. That was exactly the case. Lamb found himself being the one leading the charge, whether it be on the ice with his 90 points, or off of it, in the locker room, rallying the troops, keeping the morale high in a not-so-memorable S74 Warsaw Predators season. 

 

Obviously, management took note of what Lamb was doing, leading to him being named the 1st team Captain in franchise history. Even dating back to youth hockey, Lamb was a quiet guy, and was always overshadowed on all of his teams, usually getting used to sporting the "A" on his chest, instead of the "C". But something is different in Warsaw. Lamb does not know what it is about the team, maybe it is the expansion team part, or just the great group of teammates in Warsaw, this group brings out the best (and loudest) part of him. 

 

Even after veterans brought in like Dagmar Havlova and Latrell Mitchell to help create a winning culture within the team, Lamb wears the C with pride knowing he is the leader of this team. He wants every Warsaw Predator, new or old, to feel welcomed and engaged into the system. He is anything but a tyrant in the locker room. The C is not something you hold above everyone's head, rather a tool you can use to spread the positivity to your teammates, during the good times, and unfortunately, the bad. Even if Warsaw is not the best team in the league, Lamb says "I want each and every one of our players to feel like they belong here. There is nothing worse than a divided locker room, which I have definitely been a part of in my life before. Thus far, our Warsaw room has been full of positivity, and I hope to keep growing that. Morale is a huge thing for me, both on and off the ice."

 

This team is only going to get better, from here on out. With a brand spankin' new 1+1 contract signed, Lamb knows this is the time to win, and if you aren't here for it, then someone else needs to be that is.

 

GO PREDS GO

 

(468 Words)