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Labanc had a 56-point season back in 2018-19, but his performance in the four years since suggests that was a fluke. He managed just 15 goals and 33 points in 72 games last season. His three points with the man advantage were particularly disappointing considering the lack of offensive firepower on the San Jose roster. Labanc, who has one year left on his contract before unrestricted free agency, will almost certainly be dealt at some point this coming season if, as expected, the Sharks are nowhere near playoff contention and he hasn't signed an extension.
Labanc looked like a potential future star after posting 56 points in 82 games in the 2018-19 campaign, but his production has dropped off in each of the three years since, including a measly six points in 21 games a season ago. Labanc fractured his shoulder in December and required surgery. There were rumors he was close to a return late in the year, but the Sharks, miles from playoff contention, wisely shut him down. Labanc is a theoretical bounce-back candidate assuming he returns to full health, but the recent returns have not been positive.
Labanc recorded 12 goals and 16 assists in 55 games last season, putting him in line with the 33-point effort he produced in 70 games the year before. At 25 years old, the winger seems to be a solid middle-six option but not much else. For a Sharks team in a rebuild, Labanc can drive possession -- his CorsiFor percentage was 55.3 last year -- but it didn't lead to significant point production. Assuming he bounces back on the power play, the New York native should push for 40 points with a decent shot volume, although he'll likely be a drag in plus-minus rating with only modest physicality. He could be worth a look as a depth option in the late rounds of fantasy drafts, but managers shouldn't expect a return to his 56-point pace from 2018-19.
Labanc took a major step back in 2019-20, managing just 14 goals and 33 points in 70 contests a year after racking up 17 goals and 56 points in 82 games. Part of that downturn can be attributed to the Sharks' struggles as a whole, but Labanc has to shoulder part of the blame, too. Unfortunately for Labanc, San Jose doesn't project to be much better in 2020-21, but he'll still get plenty of opportunities to bounce back while skating on his team's second line and second power-play unit. Nonetheless, virtual managers shouldn't invest anything more than a late-round pick in Labanc on draft day.
Labanc took another big step forward in his second full NHL season last year, setting career highs in goals (17) and assists (39) while averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time. The 23-year-old became a key member of the Sharks' lethal power play, as evidenced by the two goals and 18 helpers he racked up with the man advantage. Labanc, who was a restricted free agent this offseason, decided to re-sign with San Jose on a one-year, $1 million "prove-it" deal, so he'll be extra motivated to produce in 2019-20 in order to earn himself a major payday. Now that Joe Pavelski and Gustav Nyquist are no longer in the picture, Labanc should have a permanent spot in the Sharks' top six this season, which means his average ice time should increase pretty dramatically. That, of course, should lead to additional scoring opportunities for the American winger, giving him legitimate 25-goal, 70-point upside for the upcoming campaign. Labanc could end up being a fantastic value in the middle rounds of this year's fantasy drafts.
Labanc had a breakout year during his sophomore campaign in 2017-18, racking up 11 goals and 40 points while firing 156 shots on net in 77 contests. The 22-year-old forward should only continue to improve in 2018-19, and he could easily surpass the 15-goal and 50-point thresholds if he averages more than two minutes per game with the man advantage for a second straight season. Labanc is an up-and-coming player with significant offensive upside who should slot into a prominent top-six role with the Sharks this campaign, making him a name fantasy owners will want to remember when rounding out their forward corps in drafts this year.
The Sharks look brilliant for taking a chance on Labanc as a sixth-round draft choice in 2014. He claimed the 2016 Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL's leading point-getter with the Barrie Colts -- providing a ridiculous output of 39 goals and 88 assists -- and the shifty American winger is on the heels of a rookie NHL campaign consisting of 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) and a plus-9 rating over 55 games. Labanc is known as a fearless competitor who likes to chase down loose pucks, and that bodes well for his fantasy prospects. Best of all, he's likely to come cheap given that there's a host of options at the winger spot, and Labanc isn't a household name just yet.
Signed an entry-level contract with San Jose in March 2016.
