Jason LaBarbera

Jason LaBarbera
Born January 18, 1980
Burnaby, BC, CAN
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 232 lb (105 kg; 16 st 8 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL team
Former teams 		Anaheim Ducks
New York Rangers
Los Angeles Kings
Vancouver Canucks
Phoenix Coyotes
Edmonton Oilers
Chicago Blackhawks
NHL Draft 66th overall, 1998
New York Rangers
Playing career 2001–present

Antonio[1] Jason LaBarbera (born January 18, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft during his major junior career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and has also additionally played for the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, and Edmonton Oilers.

Playing career

LaBarbera played major junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) primarily with the Portland Winter Hawks for four seasons and briefly with the Tri-City Americans and Spokane Chiefs. He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft in the 3rd round, 66th overall.

LaBarbera saw his first NHL action with the New York Rangers in his first season out of junior in relief of Kirk McLean, his childhood hero,[2] on October 14, 2000. He recorded two saves in 10 minutes of play in an 8–6 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.[3] He spent his first four seasons with the Rangers' organization, however, in the minor leagues with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL and the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

LaBarbera while a member of the Los Angeles Kings

The 2003–04 season brought a bit more playing time for LaBarbera with the New York Rangers. In the midst of a spectacular season with the Wolf Pack that culminated in a Les Cunningham Award as league MVP and an Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as top goaltender, he was called up to the Rangers and played in four games that season. LaBarbera recorded a 1–2–0 record, 4.85 goals against average (GAA) and a .824 save percentage during his brief stint. His lone NHL victory that season, the first of his career, was a 3–2 win over the Washington Capitals on March 5, 2004.[4]

Continuing to play with the Wolf Pack during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, LaBarbera earned the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for allowing the fewest goals in the league. Despite another successful season in the AHL, the Rangers did not re-sign LaBarbera, likely due to the Rangers' depth in goal, with standout draft picks Henrik Lundqvist and Al Montoya. He was, instead, signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Kings in the off-season.

LaBarbera's first full season in the NHL was spent backing up Kings starting goalie Mathieu Garon. He got off to a quick start with the Kings, going undefeated in his first seven starts. LaBarbera earned his first NHL shutout on April 17, 2006, blanking the San Jose Sharks in a 4–0 victory.[5]

LaBarbera with the Canucks in 2009.

In 2006–07, LaBarbera played for the Kings' minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. Despite injuries to Kings goalies Mathieu Garon and Dan Cloutier during the season, the Kings were hesitant to call LaBarbera up because he was waiver eligible, therefore requiring him to clear waivers in order to be called up and sent back down, making it likely that he would be claimed by another team. He completed the season with the Monarchs and earned the second Harry Holmes Memorial Award and Aldege Bastien Memorial Award of his AHL career. In the off-season, LaBarbera re-signed with the Kings to a two-year contract on July 3, 2007.[6]

LaBarbera earned more playing time in 2007–08, appearing in a career-high 45 games with a 3.00 GAA and a .910 save percentage. The following season, on December 30, 2008, LaBarbera was traded to his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks, for a seventh round draft pick in 2009. The Canucks dealt for LaBarbera in light of injuries to Roberto Luongo and backup Curtis Sanford.[7] He earned his first win with the Canucks in his club debut, making 31 saves in a 2–1 victory over the Nashville Predators on January 1, 2009.[8]

LaBarbera was signed to a two-year, $2 million contract by the Phoenix Coyotes to back up Coyotes starter Ilya Bryzgalov on July 1, 2009.[9] He compiled a total record of 15-11-4 in his first two seasons in Phoenix. On June 6, 2011, LaBarbera was re-signed by the Coyotes to another two-year contract. On July 5, 2013, during the free agency of 2013, LaBarbera signed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Edmonton Oilers.[10] He competed with Richard Bachman to be the backup to Devan Dubnyk. After Bachman was injured; and sent down to Edmonton's AHL affiliate, LaBarbera won the backup job in Edmonton.

On December 14, 2013, LaBarbera was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for future considerations.[11]

On July 1, 2014, the Anaheim Ducks signed LaBarbera as a free agent to a one-year, $750 thousand deal.[12] LaBarbera attended Ducks' training camp before being assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, after clearing waivers.

Personal life

LaBarbera and his wife are the parents of Ryder, born February 26, 2009.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T/OT MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1996–97 Tri-City Americans WHL 2 1 0 0 64 4 0 3.77 .857 — — — — — — — —
1996–97 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 9 5 1 0 443 18 0 2.44 .907 — — — — — — — —
1997–98 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 23 18 4 0 1305 72 1 3.31 .891 — — — — — — — —
1998–99 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 51 18 20 3 2994 170 4 3.41 .904 4 0 4 252 19 0 4.52 .899
1999–00 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 34 8 24 2 2005 123 1 3.68 .903 — — — — — — — —
1999–00 Spokane Chiefs WHL 21 12 6 2 1146 50 0 2.62 .900 9 6 1 435 18 1 2.48 .890
2000–01 New York Rangers NHL 1 0 0 0 10 0 0 0.00 1.000 — — — — — — — —
2000–01 Charlotte Checkers ECHL 35 18 10 7 2100 112 1 3.20 .910 2 1 1 143 5 0 2.10 .945
2000–01 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 4 1 1 0 156 12 0 4.61 .871 — — — — — — — —
2001–02 Charlotte Checkers ECHL 13 9 3 1 744 29 0 2.34 .924 4 2 2 212 12 0 3.40 .910
2001–02 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 20 7 11 1 1058 55 0 3.12 .912 — — — — — — — —
2002–03 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 46 18 17 6 2452 105 2 2.57 .915 2 0 2 117 6 0 3.07 .867
2003–04 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 59 34 9 9 3393 90 13 1.59 .936 16 11 5 1043 30 3 1.73 .935
2003–04 New York Rangers NHL 4 1 2 0 198 16 0 4.85 .824 — — — — — — — —
2004–05 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 53 31 16 2 2937 90 6 1.84 .934 4 1 3 238 9 0 2.27 .940
2005–06 Los Angeles Kings NHL 29 11 9 2 1433 69 1 2.89 .900 — — — — — — — —
2005–06 Manchester Monarchs AHL 3 1 1 1 185 10 0 3.25 .907 — — — — — — — —
2006–07 Manchester Monarchs AHL 62 39 20 1 3619 133 7 2.20 .933 13 6 7 824 38 1 2.77 .911
2007–08 Los Angeles Kings NHL 45 17 23 2 2421 121 1 3.00 .910 — — — — — — — —
2008–09 Los Angeles Kings NHL 19 5 8 4 995 47 2 2.83 .893 — — — — — — — —
2008–09 Vancouver Canucks NHL 9 3 2 2 451 20 0 2.66 .915 — — — — — — — —
2009–10 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 17 8 5 1 928 33 0 2.13 .928 — — — — — — — —
2010–11 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 17 7 6 3 883 48 2 3.26 .909 — — — — — — — —
2011–12 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 19 3 9 3 1015 43 0 2.54 .911 — — — — — — — —
2012–13 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 15 4 6 2 726 32 0 2.64 .923 — — — — — — — —
2013–14 Edmonton Oilers NHL 7 1 3 0 348 19 0 3.28 .870 — — — — — — — —
2013–14 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 2 0 1 1 124 4 0 1.53 .953 — — — — — — — —
2013–14 Rockford IceHogs AHL 32 15 15 2 1859 91 0 2.94 .901 — — — — — — — —
NHL totals 182 60 73 19 9407 448 6 2.86 .907 — — — — — — — —

Awards

Records

References

  1. ↑ "Q&A with Jason LaBarbera". 2009-01-26. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  2. ↑ "LaBarbera heats up in Los Angeles". 2005-11-11. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
  3. ↑ "Jagr nets four as Penguins beat Rangers 8-6". CBC. 2000-10-14. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
  4. ↑ "Washington vs. NY Rangers". USA Today. 2004-03-05. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  5. ↑ "NHL roundup: Standout rookie Ovechkin leads Capitals to win". San Diego Union Tribune. 2006-04-17. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  6. ↑ "Kings sign LaBarbera to two-year deal". TSN. 2007-07-03. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  7. ↑ "Canucks trade for LaBarbera". Vancouver Sun. 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  8. ↑ "LaBarbera turns away Predators in big debut with Canucks". Vancouver Sun. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  9. ↑ "Phoenix Coyotes Sign Jason LaBarbera for 2 Year, 2 Million Dollar Deal". Five for Howling. 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  10. ↑ "Phoenix Coyotes: Coyotes re-sign goaltender Jason LaBarbera to two-year deal". Sports Haze. 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  11. ↑ "Blackhawks acquire LaBarbera from Oilers". National Hockey League. 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  12. ↑ "Ducks sign LaBarbera to a one-year deal". Anaheim Ducks. 2014-07-01. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  13. ↑ Two Sons Born to Vancouver Canuck Players Celebrity Baby Blog, March 3, 2009

External links