Speculation: Kevin Labanc
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He had one good year 5 years ago, doubt there is much interest. Europe calling maybe.
- Jun 23, 2020
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He's an offense-only winger who doesn't provide much offense. Lots of lazy minor penalties. He's lost the trust of two consecutive coaches and keeps getting benched.
Also, he took a very team-friendly 1 year, $1 million deal five years ago. He then took a very team-unfriendly 4 year, $19 million contract that proved awful.
He'll get a PTO somewhere like Vegas, who needs warm bodies who can score.
OrrNumber4
Registered User
- Jul 25, 2002
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themelkman
Always Delivers
He was never up on top of a cliff to begin with. He was a product of Thornton's last productive year. That's all. Career AHL'er otherwise, which is where he'll probably end up this year.
Same as Sprong/Kubalik.
You can get better for offensive roles.
Doesn't do much for other roles.
You can get better for offensive roles.
Doesn't do much for other roles.
Agreed but I mean I’m no Sprong fan but at least he is actually productive on the scoresheet in his limited role. Labanc doesn’t even really have that going for him at the moment.
Spearmint Rhino
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- Sep 17, 2013
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Spearmint Rhino
Registered User
- Sep 17, 2013
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It was one contract split in 2, effectively a $20MM/5 year deal but Sharks didn't have cap space in year 1, blatantly obvious at the time given what the market was paying when Labanc signed for $1MM
- May 17, 2011
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themelkman
Always Delivers
I dont disagree, but its hardly the worst case in the league. Nearly every team does it now and the league allows it.
Spearmint Rhino
Registered User
- Sep 17, 2013
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Oh I’m sure there’s others but they just don’t look as bad, hard not to think his performance was negatively affected by it or maybe just a coincidence
Shark Finn
∀dministrator
Jumptheshark
Rebooting myself
Honour Over Glory
Sully-Quinn: Idiots Squared
- Jan 30, 2012
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Pretty sure Sullivan and Quinn are basically going to call him in as a PTO then sign him so they never have to play any youth.
Son of Petter
Who wants to walk with Elias?
Since he got a deal that overpaid him significantly for the season he followed that up with, I don't think he's poor.
Is he a one trick pony whose one trick would play up better on a good team, or is he just bad. I find it so hard to judge role players on shitty teams not being put in a position to succeed in their role.
jMoneyBrah
Registered User
As a Sharks fan that has followed his entire NHL career, liked him a lot as a young player, and rooted for him as fan and coach sentiment turned against him in recent years; here is my honest appraisal:
He has a very good but not great shot that he requires time/space to fully utilize. He can be decently creative in the offensive zone if he isn’t being pressured. He doesn’t have the skating, hands, deception, or physicality to go around or through defenses. While he’s not a good option to transport the puck up ice and he struggles to generate offensive opportunities on his own, he can finish plays with his shot or pass when receiving the puck in high-danger areas.
His best season, by a wide margin, he mostly skated with a resurgent Thornton (51 points in 73 games) on the third-line and was the feature of a 2nd PP unit in a system that consistently fed him pucks with time/space as he coasted toward the net from the top of the circle; allowing him to score 20 of his 59 points that season on the man-advantage.
In the past he’s spent considerable time in the coach’s dog-house probably on account of poor decisions with the puck under pressure and an extended track record of ineffective play in the defensive zone.
A team could find utility in Labanc if they can air-drop him onto a third line as a complimentary F3 and put him on a 2nd power-play unit that affords him significant touches. At evens he’ll need to be flanked with two defensively capable linemates who do the bulk of puck transporting and forechecking. Unfortunately for Labanc that’s a pretty narrow window of effectiveness that most teams probably can’t offer; and if they can, they are probably better served developing a young prospect in that low stakes role.
All that being said, I hope he gets a shot with maybe a playoff bubble team, as IMO he showed some willingness to do more defensively and on the forecheck in the few opportunities he was given to play over the last season and change; but was a bit sidelined by the coaching staff and just the overall Sharks situation. With a fresh start, if he can maintain passable off-puck play at both ends, he could probably contribute something as a bottom 6 scoring threat.
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