By Joe “Big Head” Coopersmith
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Kevin Labanc (pronounced lah-BANK) to a one-year, $775,000 contract for the 2024-25 National Hockey League season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
Labanc, 28, registered 82 goals and 143 assists for 225 points with 217 penalty minutes and 885 shots on goal, while averaging 14:24 of ice time in 478 career NHL games with the San Jose Sharks from 2016-24. He has added 13-48-61 on the power play, recorded double digit goals in five of his eight NHL seasons and recorded 30 or more points four times. He was originally drafted by the Sharks in the sixth round, 171st overall, at the 2014 NHL Draft.
“Kevin Labanc has been a productive offensive player in this league for several years,” said Waddell. “He has an excellent shot and playmaking ability and given his character we believe he will fit in very well with our group.”
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Labanc posted 8-12-20 in 55 contests with San Jose in his rookie season in 2016-17. He then notched back-to-back 40-point campaigns with 11-29-40 in 77 outings in 2017-18 before setting single-season career highs with 17-39-56 in 82 appearances with the Sharks in 2018-19. The winger collected 2-7-9 and 16 PIM in 46 contests with San Jose in 2023-24. He posted 6-1-7 in four games on a pro tryout contract with the New Jersey Devils during the 2024 preseason.
The 5-11, 185-pound forward has added 7-16-23 in 21 career American Hockey League games with the San Jose Barracuda from 2015-18. He totaled 81-188-269 in 198 career games with the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League from 2013-16. He captured the Eddie Powers Trophy (Most Points), Jim Mahon Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger) and Leo Lalonde Trophy (Overage Player of the Year) and was named to the OHL’s Second All-Star Team in 2015-16 after racking up 39-88-127 in 65 outings with Barrie.
Labanc also played for the United States National Development Program from 2011-13. He won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2021 IIHF World Championships (2-4-6, 10 GP) and a silver medal at the 2013 IIHF U18 World Championships (1-0-1, 7 GP)
