Confirmed with Link: Canucks re-sign F Joe LaBate to 1-Year, 2-Way Deal

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Good to see him back.

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[M2Beezy]

Is he the guy who had a good preseason?

 

[Roy Baby*]

Why in the world do they not give this kid a shot on the 4th line ? He's the only with some bite in the organization (post neutering Jake)

 

[MS]

Why in the world do they not give this kid a shot on the 4th line ? He's the only with some bite in the organization (post neutering Jake)

Because he's a bottom-6 AHLer with no talent?

Handy enough system player, but he isn't remotely good enough to be an NHL regular.

 

[rypper]

Maybe this year Utica won't be a completely picked over, forgotten, barren wasteland.

 

[VanJack]

Why in the world do they not give this kid a shot on the 4th line ? He's the only with some bite in the organization (post neutering Jake)

Couldn't agree more....LaBate is built like a prototypical fourth line winger....in fact during his brief auditions I thought he was far more effective in that role than someone like Skille.

A fourth line of Gaunce, between LaBate and Dorsett could be a load for some teams...absolutely zero offense, but all punishing forecheckers.....maybe the fact that Green had LaBate for two years in Utica will win him a longer look in training camp this year.

Canucks desperately need more physicality....and LaBate one of the few willing to bring it.

 

[MS]

Couldn't agree more....LaBate is built like a prototypical fourth line winger....in fact during his brief auditions I thought he was far more effective in that role than someone like Skille.

He was an absolutely awful player up here last year. A possession black hole with no puck skills and no real defensive ability ... but he threw two HUGE HITS that everyone creamed their pants over.

If he's a regular, he's probably the worst regular skater in the NHL. Even a marginal player like Skille is ridiculously superior to Labate. That Gaunce-Chaput-Skille line was able to take tough minutes and big defensive zone starts for an NHL 4th line, and would have been absolutely brutalized with a guy like Labate on the ice instead.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

He was an absolutely awful player up here last year. A possession black hole with no puck skills and no real defensive ability ... but he threw two HUGE HITS that everyone creamed their pants over.

If he's a regular, he's probably the worst regular skater in the NHL. Even a marginal player like Skille is ridiculously superior to Labate. That Gaunce-Chaput-Skille line was able to take tough minutes and big defensive zone starts for an NHL 4th line, and would have been absolutely brutalized with a guy like Labate on the ice instead.

He's the kind of guy who's well served playing in Utica, but makes a deserved call up option over the course of the year. He works his tail off, and if as an organization you want to build a culture around rewarding hard working players who lay it all on the line, he's a good guy to have around.

Also one of our few gritty/feisty guys in the system.

 

[Siludin]

If he shows one more year of improvement, the big club will have to take a closer look.

 

[TruGr1t]

Underrated, smart fighter. I know it's a dying part of the game, but LaBate has changed his game to be a bit more of an agitator and isn't afraid to back it up. The fact he seems to protect himself well, and avoid opening himself up to injury, while doing it is a bonus.

 

[F A N]

The team is moving away from having guys like him on the 4th line, but I don't mind this signing if Green likes him. I don't think he's going to develop into an NHL player and I wish he was a better AHL player as well.

 

[Karl Childers*]

Underrated, smart fighter. I know it's a dying part of the game, but LaBate has changed his game to be a bit more of an agitator and isn't afraid to back it up. The fact he seems to protect himself well, and avoid opening himself up to injury, while doing it is a bonus.

Lol what? He isn't a good fighter whatsoever for a guy that big. He can lay a mean check if catches a guy with his head down, but he isn't a good scrapper at all.

 

[UticaHockey]

Most Comets fans love Labate because he plays hard and is willing to fight but he needs to get better at it before someone seriously hurts him. He doesn't win too many of them. I agree with MS on this one as he is not a good skater and doesn't handle the puck well. Decent AHL 4th liner that will give you an honest effort every night.

 

[me2]

Underrated, smart fighter. I know it's a dying part of the game, but LaBate has changed his game to be a bit more of an agitator and isn't afraid to back it up. The fact he seems to protect himself well, and avoid opening himself up to injury, while doing it is a bonus.

Perfect tank player for about 20 years ago. Runs around, hits people, starts *****, looks exciting. Distracts from awful team. Only needs 5 min a game.

World has moved on.

 

[alternate]

He's the kind of guy I like having in the organization but he's a couple of development steps away from being any thing more than an emergency call up.

 

[denkiteki]

Because he's a bottom-6 AHLer with no talent?

Handy enough system player, but he isn't remotely good enough to be an NHL regular.

He was fine last year on the 4th line and bought some energy. Wasn't a liability on the ice and played physical (plus as a bonus, he's big). Also a decent skater... basically all the tools you want in a modern 4th liner. Maybe he can develop his game in front of the net... that's really the last thing he needs to be a useful NHLer.

Of course i don't expect him to come up unless we lose 3+ forwards to injuries again. Plus he's someone who could step up in Utica when we start calling players up.

 

[vcanuck]

he didn't play on the 4th line because real gud willie loved him some Megna.

 

[wonton15]

He didn't look out of place when he got in some games last year. Looked a pit passive actually but he was probably nervous

 

[MS]

He's the kind of guy who's well served playing in Utica, but makes a deserved call up option over the course of the year. He works his tail off, and if as an organization you want to build a culture around rewarding hard working players who lay it all on the line, he's a good guy to have around.

Also one of our few gritty/feisty guys in the system.

I don't really disagree with any of this.

Yeah, he works hard. Yeah, he's a decent player for Utica. Yeah, if we have a big injury crunch, it won't end the world if he gets a 5 game callup. But if he's a regular, he's a pretty big liability.

 

[Get North]

I don't really disagree with any of this.

Yeah, he works hard. Yeah, he's a decent player for Utica. Yeah, if we have a big injury crunch, it won't end the world if he gets a 5 game callup. But if he's a regular, he's a pretty big liability.

Basically agree with this opinion. He's not a NHL player yet.I say yet because the last 2 seasons in Utica his PPG as improved (he also got more ice-time which might be part of the reason), but still worth a NHL contract to see if he continues to improve and maybe 1 day can become a NHL regular. Should be 6th/7th LW on the depth chart.

 

[Verviticus]

he's not an nhl player and it's highly unlikely he will be

 

[orcatown]

Thing is that he has shown progression in his game. When he came out of college and first joined the Comets, he looked like the second coming of Kellan Lain. Big, lanky guy who had little agility and often looked off balance on his pivots. Ended up playing a stop and start kind of hockey and often over skated the play. Stick skill w seemed non-existent. Just another draft choice gone bad.

But the second year he showed marked improvement. As the season went on he started to force the play better and fitted well into Green heavy forechecking system. Also, he began to score and started proving quite effective in front of the net on the PP.

Last year his skating continued to improve and he began, in Utica at least, to pack the puck and bring off it off the wing to the net fairly well. He started creating offense and became one of Utica's more effective players. When he came up to the Canucks, he showed at least that his skating was adequate and he did actually get some decent chances to score.

As far as the fighting goes, LaBate was rag-dolled by the tough guys at the AHL level when he started. He was game but was quickly dispatched by others or just hung on and hoped for the ref to break things up. But like other parts of the game he began to improve. He actually began to win some fights and never looked that out of place against some very tough people in the AHL. Last year with the Canucks again he looked ok in that department. Reaves put him on the ice pretty quick but he stood up well with genuine tough guys like Cody McCormick.

I think it important to see the progression. He has improved at every step. He is a better skater and has shown increasing confidence and smarts in his play. With the fighting, he continues to add weight to pretty big frame and is not the skinny kid who came out of college a few years ago. Players that emerge as true tough guys often take a few years to develop into this at the pro level. So there is hope in that department. (although this may be a decreasingly important asset in the League)

What is important at this point is that the progression continues. If he plateaus at the present level then he is likely only a decent AHL player. But if he can get to the net and begin to score (as he was beginning to do at the AHl level) then he might be an ok fourth liner that does provide toughness and push back for the team. (and given the roster they severely need this)

I see him battling with Gaunce and Virtanen for the 4th line wing position. The winner will likely be the player that better fits Green's system and the player that can produce at least some offense at the NHL level.