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.