Former Sharks Forward Perfect PTO Candidate for Islanders

The New York Islanders might take a shot on former San Jose Sharks' forward Kevin Labanc.

Apr 4, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (84) extends for the puck against San Jose Sharks right wing Kevin Labanc (62) during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

The San Jose Sharks parted ways with one of their tenured veterans this summer, and the New York Islanders may be the beneficiaries of the move. The Islanders are shaking up their bottom-six forward group heading into the 2024-2025 season, looking to improve upon their 39-wins last year.

Part of the Islanders' changes were opting not to re-sign beloved locker room presences Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. Their departures open the door for some fresh faces to round out their lineup. They already have younger players like Simon Holmstrom and Kyle Maclean aiming to increase their roles after strong impressions last season. They also have some question marks, like former first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom and recently signed KHL standout Maxim Tsyplakov trying to battle for any role on the roster. Because of this, the Islanders may be adding former Sharks' winger Kevin Labanc on a professional tryout agreement (PTO).

Labanc is one of the top remaining free agents on the market after eight years with San Jose. He played 478 games in a Sharks uniform, collecting 82 goals and 225 points. The 28 year-old forwad has five seasons of 11 goals or higher, with a career high 17 goals and 56 points during 2018-2019.

The Islanders could be the perfect fresh start for Labanc. Sportsnet recently kicked around the idea of the team offering him a PTO, and it makes sense for multiple reasons. Firstly, Labanc is a hard-skating, two-way forward that fits schematically with Patrick Roy's system. He has strong possession numbers and is a reliable penalty killer, so he also fills the void left by losing Clutterbuck and Martin. Secondly, Labanc is a Long Island native. The personal connection could be key in attracting him to the organization. Lastly, the addition of Labanc gives the Islanders another proven NHL player for the bottom two lines, so if one of their young players struggles early, they have a player capable of scoring 10 goals in a limited role at their disposal.

Coming off of a contract that paid him $4.73 million, Labanc knows he will be taking a significant pay cut if he makes it on an NHL roster. The Islanders are close to the salary cap limit already, so he would be making probably around $1 million or less for the year. Ideally, he can take a cheap, one-year deal and prove he's worth a long-term commitment from an organization in 2025 and beyond. Add it up, and the Islanders have a perfect PTO candidate for their upcoming training camp.

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