Timo Meier Rooting for Kevin Labanc to Sign with New Jersey Devils

NEWARK — No one in the New Jersey Devils organization is rooting harder for Kevin Labanc than Timo Meier. The former San Jose Sharks teammates are now reunited in New Jersey after general manager Tom Fitzgerald extended Labanc a professional tryout contract. Meier is happy to see his old friend get an opportunity on his new team, and hopes to see his stay in New Jersey extended.

Despite playing in the San Jose organization together since 2016, it wasn’t until the 2022-23 season where Meier and Labanc got regular reps in with each other. When they finally did, the duo put up some impressive statistics in 48 games, a combined 390:31. Meier was ultimately traded to the Devils at the trade deadline later that year, but Labanc finished the season with the Sharks having scored 15 goals and 33 points.

Labanc and Meier built some pretty good chemistry on the ice by creating an elite 256-176 positive scoring chance differential. Perhaps, that had a little bit to do with how close they were off the ice as well.

“Yeah, it’s awesome,” Meier said of Kevin Labanc being in New Jersey on a PTO. “Me and Kevin got to San Jose at the same time. We were actually roommates in San Jose, living together our first year, and then we’re always roommates on the road. So we spent a lot of time together.”

Whereas there was a roster spot to fill on Thursday, that spot has suddenly vanished as of Friday morning. Dawson Mercer agreed to a new three-year extension with the Devils, and one would imagine he’ll slot in where Labanc did yesterday.

REQUIRED READING: Devils Re-Sign Dawson Mercer to Multi-Year Contract

Regardless, Meier is still rooting for his buddy to win a contract.

“It’s real nice that he gets a chance here to kind of show what he’s capable of,” Meier said to New Jersey Hockey Now. “[I’m] really, really excited to see him in a Devils jersey here competing for a roster spot.”

Despite the Mercer news, Labanc is certainly going to get that chance. He may not have been skating with Timo Meier — who lined up next to Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt — but he was on the top line with captain Nico Hischier and Tomas Tatar. It’s a pretty good indication that the Devils are serious about seeing what Labanc can offer.

It’s likely that Mercer takes Labanc’s spot in the lineup, but there’s no reason Labanc can’t compete for a spot in the bottom six, and move up in the lineup if necessary.

The 28-year-old forward looked quite good out there, too. Labanc was fast, strong on pucks, can play make a bit and has a wicked wrist shot.

That tracks, too, as Meier recounts what kind of player he was from their days together in San Jose.

“Yeah, offensively, he’s a great player,” Meier started. “He’s got great vision, absolute rocket of a shot that’s very hard for goalies to track. He’s competitive, and I’m looking forward to seeing him battle out there.”

There’s no guarantee this works out for Labanc on a PTO. And, if it does, there likely isn’t the expectation that he regains his near 60-point self from the 2018-19 season. However, if anyone on a PTO is likely to secure a job, it’s Labanc. After all, the Devils GM said he still believes there’s an NHL player in Labanc despite his struggles last season.

“It’s a great opportunity for him. With one man out, it’s another man’s opportunity,” Fitzgerald said. “So, I’m excited to see what he can do. And you know, he’s an NHL player. So I’m looking through the lineup and trying to fill holes. I’m sure it was a no-brainer [for Sheldon Keefe] to put Kevin up there with Nico.”

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