The San Jose Sharks settled their contract dispute with restricted free agent Kevin Labanc on Monday, giving him a one-year contract that is worth $1 million. The 23-year-old announced the news on Twitter Monday night, stating that he was "excited for another year" with the Sharks. San Jose general manager Doug Wilson announced the signing to the media late Monday afternoon, this after weeks of trying to come to an agreement, as no other teams offered the forward an offer sheet that they had to match.
Labanc is coming off a career year with San Jose this past season, setting career-highs with 17 goals, 39 assists, 20 power play points, and four game-winning goals. Wilson acknowledged the progress that he made in 2018-2019, and even mentioned that the team believes that he "still has even more potential to tap into." In the team's released statement, they also mentioned that it is expected to have him in a more elevated role for the Sharks in 2019-2020.
If Labanc can continue on this pace this upcoming season, he is expected to get a much bigger contract, either from San Jose or elsewhere next summer, as he does not have any arbitration rights until then. The up and coming star came up big in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Sharks, helping them to a first-round series win over the Las Vegas Golden Knights. He stepped up in a major way in Game 7 of that series with three assists and the game-winning goal in the third period. All four of those points came in the third, making him the first player in NHL history to do so in a single period in Game 7 of a playoff series.
In his three seasons with San Jose, Labanc has 116 points and a plus-2 rating in 214 NHL games. He finished with 56 points this past season, tied with Evander Kane for sixth on the team.
Labanc is coming off a career year with San Jose this past season, setting career-highs with 17 goals, 39 assists, 20 power play points, and four game-winning goals. Wilson acknowledged the progress that he made in 2018-2019, and even mentioned that the team believes that he "still has even more potential to tap into." In the team's released statement, they also mentioned that it is expected to have him in a more elevated role for the Sharks in 2019-2020.
If Labanc can continue on this pace this upcoming season, he is expected to get a much bigger contract, either from San Jose or elsewhere next summer, as he does not have any arbitration rights until then. The up and coming star came up big in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Sharks, helping them to a first-round series win over the Las Vegas Golden Knights. He stepped up in a major way in Game 7 of that series with three assists and the game-winning goal in the third period. All four of those points came in the third, making him the first player in NHL history to do so in a single period in Game 7 of a playoff series.
In his three seasons with San Jose, Labanc has 116 points and a plus-2 rating in 214 NHL games. He finished with 56 points this past season, tied with Evander Kane for sixth on the team.
