Blue Jackets acquire Joseph LaBate to One-Year, Two-Way Contract
Don Waddell, the President of Hockey Operations and General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, announced today that forward Joseph LaBate has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract for the rest of the 2024-25 season in both the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League. Columbus has put LaBate on waivers to assign him to the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL team affiliated with the club.
LaBate, aged 31, was initially chosen by the Vancouver Canucks in the fourth round, 101st overall, during the 2011 NHL Draft. He played his first NHL game with the Canucks during the 2016-17 season, accumulating 21 penalty minutes in 13 games.
Born in Eagan, Minnesota, LaBate inked a professional tryout deal with Cleveland on October 8, 2024, and posted one goal and three assists for four points and six penalty minutes in five games during the 2024-25 season. Since debuting in 2014-15, he has played in 410 AHL games for the Monsters, Chicago Wolves, Milwaukee Admirals, Belleville Senators, and Utica Comets, tallying 64-73-137, 698 PIM, and 624 shots on goal.
During the 2023-24 season, the 6-5, 225-pound forward played for Barys Astana in the KHL and tallied 8 goals, 10 assists, and 18 points with 53 penalty minutes in 49 games. He competed in college hockey at the University of Wisconsin from 2011-15, achieving 31 goals, 52 assists, and a total of 83 points, along with 143 penalty minutes in 150 games.
Image Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
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