San Jose Sharks take on the Winnipeg Jets. Will Kevin Labanc play?

San Jose Sharks' Kevin Labanc (62) waits to face off against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period Thursday, April 6, 2023, at SAP Center in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer) /Bay Area News Group)

SAN JOSE – Between an extended layoff and six straight games as a healthy scratch for the San Jose Sharks – Kevin Labanc hasn't played an NHL game in exactly four weeks as of Tuesday.

Aside from the 2021-2022 season, when Labanque missed the last four months with a shoulder injury, it's the longest the winger has missed a season for the Sharks since entering the NHL full-time in 2017.

“I think everyone was upset with me,” Labanc told the Bay Area News about his repeated healthy streak. “But you do what you can. I'm ready to go.”

Labanque's chance to play again will likely come Wednesday when the Sharks play the Winnipeg Jets to start a two-game road trip. Sharks coach David Quinn said after Tuesday's practice that he hasn't finalized his lineup for the first game since Jan. 31 at San Jose.

Labanc's most recent game came on Jan. 16 in Chicago, as he logged just 7:53 of ice time and did not score in the final 10 minutes of the third period or in a 2-1 overtime loss. Labanque was the only Sharks player to turn in a nine-round shutout.

It was the last time Labanque was seen in a Sharks uniform, as forward Anthony Duclair was reinstated for the next game against Anaheim, while the group of wings the Sharks visited to end the month remained largely unchanged.

Asked why Labanc hasn't played lately, Quinn said, “We think we have 12 (forwards) that have played better than him.”

“It's funny how people always say, 'I need a chance,'” Quinn said. “Every day is an opportunity. When I'm training, I don't make a grocery list. I pay attention to what the guys are doing, how hard they are working and trying to do what they need to do.

“It's all part of the equation. It's not just something you do in games. You will be appreciated in everything you do. It's about every player.”

Will Labanque get a chance to escape Quinn's doghouse this week and show he can still contribute? Maybe.

The big question for Labanque and the Sharks is whether he can still be with the team past the March 8 trade deadline.

Labanc, in the final year of a four-year, $18.9 million contract and an unrestricted free agent, has just seven points in 32 games this season, well below half the points he averaged over his first six seasons. his NHL career. His 11:47 per game average this season is a career low by nearly two minutes.

All of this points to Labanc's time with the Sharks coming to an end this spring. It's a matter of whether the New York City native stays with the team at the trade deadline or joins another team in the playoffs.

The average annual value of Labank's contract is $4.725 million. But because the salary cap is prorated, Labanque will make about $1 million in the first week of March.

Labanque has playoff experience as he has 14 points in 30 career postseason games, including a famous four-pointer in April 2019 in Game 7 of the Sharks' first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights.