Why a Devils PTO success story didn’t sign after great preseason

Veteran winger Kevin Labanc knew he could still compete in the NHL.

After eight up-and-down seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Labanc signed a professional tryout contract with the Devils after he couldn't find a contract in free agency. The 28-year-old from Brooklyn saw an opportunity to compete for a roster spot in New Jersey close to home and to play with his former roommate, Devils star Timo Meier.

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Labanc didn't make the roster that traveled to Prague for the regular season opener, but stuck around for the final preseason games. He showed out for the Devils, and the rest of the league's scouts, scoring six goals in three games including a hat trick against the Flyers.

The Devils reportedly offered Labanc a one-year, $775,000 one-way contract , but instead he signed the same deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. So why did he leave the Devils, which seemed to be a perfect spot for Labanc to rekindle his career?

According to Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli, the Devils needed to place Labanc on waivers if they wanted to sign him to a full-time contract for managing the cap space, meaning the Blue Jackets could have claimed him on waivers if they didn't offer him a contract straight up. Either way, Labanc was going to be in Columbus.

"Kevin Labanc has been a productive offensive player in this league for several years," Columbus general manager Don Waddell said in a press release. "He has an excellent shot and playmaking ability, and given his character, we believe he will fit in very well with our group."

Labanc was a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft and beat the odds to become one of San Jose's many young pieces in the mid-to-late 2010s. He totaled 56 points in 2018-19 with a hard shot and efficiency on the power play. The last few years weren't as good as he battled injuries and general decline in play. Labanc scored 82 goals with 143 assists for 225 total points in 478 career games across eight seasons.

"I got a lot of hockey left," Labanc said in training camp.

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