Kevin Labanc (born December 12, 1995) is an American professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
right wing
Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authori ...
for the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). He was drafted by the Sharks in the sixth round, 171st overall, in the
2014 NHL Entry Draft
The 2014 NHL Entry Draft was the 52nd NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 27–28, 2014 at the Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia), Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The top three selections were Aaron Ekblad, ...
.
Playing career
Labanc got his first taste of hockey at the Staten Island Skating Pavilion. As a youth, he played in the 2008
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...
with the New Jersey Devils
minor ice hockey
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...
team. He later played amateur junior hockey in New Jersey through the Youth Hockey League, to the
Atlantic Junior Hockey League with the
New Jersey Rockets before he was selected to play in the
U.S. National Development Team Program through the
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...
.
At the conclusion of his tenure in the U.S. Development Program, Labanc opted to forgo collegiate hockey and pursue a major junior career in the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overag ...
with the
Barrie Colts
The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.
Pre-OHL history
There were two previous Barrie Colts teams which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1 ...
. He was originally drafted by the Colts in the 2011 Priority Selection in the sixth round, 103rd overall. He scored 35 points in 65 games as a rookie in the
2013–14 season with the Colts and was drafted by the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
in the
2014 NHL Entry Draft
The 2014 NHL Entry Draft was the 52nd NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 27–28, 2014 at the Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia), Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The top three selections were Aaron Ekblad, ...
, 171st overall.
In the following two season with the Colts, Labanc broke out offensively with back-to-back 100-point seasons. In the
2015–16 season, his overage year, Labanc led the Colts and the League with 88 assists and 127 points. He was awarded the
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the best overage player in the Ontario Hockey League, as selected by the teams' general managers. The trophy was donated by the trainers of the league in memory of Leo Lalonde, former chief ...
and the
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
The Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League since 1972, to the right winger who scores the most points in the regular season. The Peterborough Petes donated the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy in his memory to the top s ...
as the top scoring right winger in the OHL.
He completed his junior career with the Colts amongst franchise leader's in points-per-game games and finished fourth overall in scoring with 269 points in just 198 games.
On March 9, 2016, Labanc was signed by the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
to a three-year entry-level contract. He was assigned to join AHL affiliate, the
San Jose Barracuda
The San Jose Barracuda are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. The team will play at Tech CU Arena beginning in the 2022-23 season.
The Barracuda is a relocation of the ...
, for their post-season run, making his professional debut in a solitary game.
After attending the Sharks' training camp in preparation for his first full professional season in
2016–17, Labanc was assigned to begin the year with the Barracuda. After scoring 10 points in just 6 games in the AHL, Labanc received his first recall to the San Jose Sharks on November 7, 2016. He made his debut, featuring on a scoring line, alongside
Logan Couture
Logan Couture (born March 28, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Sharks ninth overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, where he established ...
and
Joonas Donskoi
Joonas Donskoi (born 13 April 1992) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche.
Playing career
Dons ...
, in a 3–0 victory over the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
on November 8. In his fifth game, Labanc scored his first NHL goal, assisted by
Joe Thornton
Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers of the ...
, against
Jake Allen, in a 3–2 defeat to the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...
on November 17, 2016.
On February 9, 2019, Labanc scored his first NHL hat-trick in a 5–2 victory against the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
. He finished the
2018–19 season with 17 goals and 56 points in 82 games. In Game 7 of the Sharks' first-round series against the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
, Labanc contributed on all four Sharks' third period goals (one goal and three assists). The team eventually won the game in overtime, advancing to the second round. The feat made Labanc the first player in NHL postseason history to record four points in a single period of a Game 7. For the
2019 postseason, the Sharks were eliminated in six games by the eventual champions, the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...
, during the
Western Conference Finals. Overall, Labanc recorded four goals and five assists in 20 games.
On July 8, 2019, the Sharks re-signed Labanc to a one-year, $1 million contract extension.
On October 10, 2020, the Sharks re-signed Labanc to a four-year, $18.9 million contract extension.
Personal life
Kevin Labanc is the son of Milan Labanc, a former
Slovak professional ice hockey player and his wife Anika. They emigrated from
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
to the United States in 1994 and settled in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. He speaks Slovak.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Labanc, Kevin
1995 births
Living people
American men's ice hockey right wingers
American people of Slovak descent
Barrie Colts players
Ice hockey players from New York (state)
San Jose Barracuda players
San Jose Sharks draft picks
San Jose Sharks players
Sportspeople from Staten Island
USA Hockey National Team Development Program players