After joining the New Jersey Devils on a PTO, Kevin Labanc has done enough to earn an NHL contract.
Related: Kevin Labanc Joins Devils on PTO
It may not be with the Devils. When an NHL player signs a PTO, there is a chance that another club can offer them a contract, and he can agree to it.
Now, historically, that hasn’t happened, and the player typically signs the contract with the team they are on a PTO with.
In Labanc’s case, he has done enough to earn the contract, but there may not be room for the Devil to sign him.
In four pre-season games, he had three goals and an assist for four points. The three goals came by way of a hat-trick in the pre-season game against the Philadelphia Flyers last night.
Related: Samuel Laberge & Sawyer Boulton Drop The Gloves Twice in One Game
Right now in Prague, the Devils are using this forward lineup:
Timo Meier — Jack Hughes — Jesper Bratt
Tomas Tatar — Nico Hischier — Dawson Mercer
Ondrej Palat — Erik Haula — Stefan Noesen
Paul Cotter — Curtis Lazar — Nathan Bastian
This would mean that Labanc would either be the 13th forward or Bastian would be. In that case, Noesen could move down to the grind line, and Labanc could play wing on the third line to provide the team with more offense.
Ultimately, the decision will likely be made by the end of the weekend, when all the other NHL teams make their final cuts. The hope for Labanc is that if he doesn’t make the Devils, another team picks him up, and he gets another shot at the NHL.
