Labanc Leaves Game with Possible Upper-Body Injury

San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc sustained a possible upper-body injury in the first period against the Dallas Stars and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Jani Hakanpaa runs Kevin Labanc into the cornerboards hard. Labanc slowly went to the bench afterward. #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/rwqxLPAhwf

— Michael Gutnick (@michaelgutnick) December 12, 2021

“I know it’s upper-body,” San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner said postgame. “I think we’ll have tomorrow, but I think he’s just getting assessed.”

Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa collided with Labanc in the near cornerboards during Labanc’s first and only shift of the night. Labanc went straight to the bench gingerly, down the tunnel for further inspection and did not return. Labanc skated just 1:01 on the fourth line with Jonah Gadjovich and Jasper Weatherby.

The San Jose Sharks announced that Labanc would not be returning, though they did not specify why.

It’s been a tough year for Labanc in terms of staying in the line-up: He’s missed five games because of COVID, was suspended for one game for slew-footing Tyler Bozak, and was a recent healthy scratch.

The 26-year-old forward has struggled to put up points wherever he’s been inserted into the lineup, tallying just three goals and six points in 20 games.

The winger has been held off the scoresheet in his last eight games, going back to Nov. 24 against the Ottawa Senators. San Jose is starting to look thin upfront: They’re also without Rudolfs Balcers right now.

12/13 UPDATE:

Boughner says Reimer starts tomorrow — Labanc is probably out a week or two (will get an MRI today) — Balcers is also still a week or so away from hitting the ice again — not sure if Halbgewachs is playing tmw

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 13, 2021