Sharks ink Labanc to rich extension
SAN JOSE >> The San Jose Sharks certainly rewarded Kevin Labanc for his patience.
The Sharks announced Saturday they have resigned Labanc, who was an restricted free agent, to a four-year contract extension.
According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, the deal is worth $18.9 million and has an average annual value of $4.725 million, making Labanc the fifth-highest paid forward on the team.
Labanc would be an unrestricted free agent when the deal expires after the 2023-24 season.
According to PuckPedia. com, the Sharks now have $2.99 million left in projected cap space with 22 players on the roster — 14 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies.
Labanc, 24, has 149 points in 284 regular season games over four seasons with the Sharks.
He had 17 goals and 56 points during the 2018-19 season, the final year of his entry level contract. Labanc then signed a teamfriendly one-year, $1 million contract last offseason, betting on himself that he could have another productive year and sign a more lucrative deal.
That has come to fruition for the New York City native, who was a sixth-round pick the Sharks in 2014.
“Kevin brings a rare level of offensive skill and creativity to our line-up and has established himself as a top-six forward in our league,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement. “Kevin has shown a consistent ability to perform at a high level in both the regular season and the playoffs and he will be a big part of our club in the coming years.”
The Sharks had to issue qualifying offers to their RFAs by Wednesday afternoon.
“You never know when you’re close to the goal line,” Wilson said earlier this week of getting a deal done with Labanc. “I may think I’m in a certain place, they may think they’re in a certain place, applying to all contacts that we’re discussing with players out there.”
Labanc will no doubt have to play a key role for the Sharks as they try to get back to the postseason in 2021.