Joseph LaBate Bio
Joseph LaBate is an American professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing around 209 pounds, the centre combines size with skating skill, giving him the profile of a modern power forward. He has played professionally since 2015, moving through multiple organizations in both the AHL and NHL, and has also had a stint abroad in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Early Life and Background
Joseph LaBate was born on April 16, 1993, in Eagan, Minnesota, in the United States. Growing up in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, he was surrounded by one of the strongest youth hockey cultures in North America, which helped shape his early development. He attended the Academy of Holy Angels, where he played for the school’s men’s ice hockey team. Across his high school career, he tallied 58 points in 25 games, an offensive output that drew attention from professional scouts.
After three seasons with the Academy of Holy Angels, LaBate moved on to college hockey with the Wisconsin Badgers of the NCAA. His time in Madison became an important stepping stone, giving him a chance to refine his game against high-level competition while adjusting to the physical demands of the college game.
Path to Professional Hockey
LaBate’s draft year came in 2011, when the Vancouver Canucks used their fourth-round pick, 101st overall, to select him in the NHL entry draft. The selection signalled the organization’s belief that his combination of size and skill could translate into a bottom-six NHL centre. Rather than turning professional immediately, he continued his development at the University of Wisconsin, where he shifted from wing to centre during his junior season and skated in all 37 games for the Badgers.
In his senior campaign, LaBate set a career high with 11 goals and added 11 assists, finishing the year with a minus-three rating and 22 penalty minutes. Following four seasons in the NCAA, he signed a contract with the Canucks and was assigned to the Utica Comets of the AHL. With Utica, he recorded his first professional goal against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring in a game that also featured a memorable fight with Samuel Morin. That blend of toughness and scoring touch became a recurring theme in his early professional identity.
Joseph LaBate Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
LaBate began his professional career in 2015 with the Vancouver Canucks organization, splitting time between the NHL club and its AHL affiliate in Utica. He participated in the Canucks’ 2016–17 preseason, posting a goal, before being returned to the Comets for further development. His consistent two-way play in the AHL eventually earned him a recall.
On November 21, 2016, LaBate was recalled to the NHL for the first time. Two days later, on November 23, he made his NHL debut, logging 5:55 minutes of ice time in a 4–1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Across parts of three seasons with the Canucks organization, he appeared in 13 NHL games. Following the 2017–18 season, the club did not tender him a qualifying offer, and he became an unrestricted free agent.
AHL Journeyman Years (2018–2023)
On August 20, 2018, LaBate signed a one-year AHL contract with the Belleville Senators, the affiliate of the Ottawa Senators. He spent three seasons with Belleville, establishing himself as a reliable veteran centre in the league. After the 2020–21 season, he departed the Senators organization and signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Admirals on July 29, 2021.
With Milwaukee in 2021–22, LaBate added a veteran presence to the forward group, recording 5 goals and 12 points across 56 regular-season games. He also appeared in a career-high 9 playoff games, contributing 2 points. As a free agent, he joined the defending Calder Cup champions, the Chicago Wolves, on July 18, 2022, where he posted 22 points in 53 games during the 2022–23 season.
Barys Astana and Return to North America (2023–2025)
After eight professional seasons in North America, LaBate signed a one-year contract with Kazakh-based club Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League on July 4, 2023. Initially slotted as the team’s first-line centre, he finished his lone KHL campaign with 18 points in 49 regular-season contests, providing offensive stability and a physical presence for the club.
Returning to North America as a free agent, LaBate was signed to a professional tryout with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, the primary affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, on October 8, 2024. Roughly two months later, on November 29, 2024, his strong play earned him a one-year, two-way NHL contract for the remainder of the season with the Blue Jackets. On July 1, 2025, LaBate signed another one-year, two-way deal, returning to his original NHL club, the Vancouver Canucks.
Driving Style and Strengths
LaBate has described himself as a player who sits in the middle of the stylistic spectrum but is actively working to become more physical. He has cited David Backes and Ryan Malone as players he studies, emphasizing skating through contact, winning battles along the boards, and bringing a physical edge to his game. His combination of size, faceoff responsibility, and willingness to drop the gloves makes him a reliable complementary centre at both the AHL and NHL levels.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of LaBate’s career are his 2011 NHL draft selection at 101st overall, his first NHL recall in November 2016, and his debut two days later against the Arizona Coyotes. His first professional goal with the Utica Comets, scored after a fight with Samuel Morin, also stands out as an early signature moment. Later milestones include his KHL debut with Barys Astana in 2023 and his NHL return with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024.
Joseph LaBate Career Wins
Across his professional journey, Joseph LaBate has been valued more for his two-way reliability, physicality, and veteran presence than for high goal totals. His offensive contributions have been steady at the AHL level, while his NHL appearances have highlighted his role as a depth centre who can step in when called upon.
AHL and NHL Highlights
LaBate’s AHL resume includes productive seasons with the Utica Comets, Belleville Senators, Milwaukee Admirals, and Chicago Wolves, where he peaked with 22 points in 53 games in 2022–23. He made 13 NHL appearances with the Vancouver Canucks between 2016 and 2018, including his debut against Arizona, before later earning an NHL contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond North America, LaBate added an international chapter to his career with Barys Astana of the KHL, where he played a top-six role and registered 18 points across 49 games. His ability to adapt to a new league and a new country underscored the versatility that has kept him in professional hockey for more than a decade.
Joseph LaBate Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Joseph LaBate was raised in Eagan, Minnesota, a community well known for producing competitive hockey players. Detailed information about his parents and any broader family involvement in hockey is not publicly confirmed in available sources.
Personal Life
Public information about Joseph LaBate’s personal life, including marital status, spouse, and children, is not widely documented. He continues to focus on his professional hockey career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year represents a significant homecoming for Joseph LaBate. After spending the early part of the 2024–25 season with the Cleveland Monsters and then the Columbus Blue Jackets, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2025, returning to the organization that originally drafted him in 2011.
With the Canucks, LaBate is expected to serve as a depth centre and physical presence for both the NHL club and its AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. His familiarity with the organization’s systems, combined with more than a decade of professional experience, positions him as a stabilizing veteran in the forward group. His combination of size, two-way play, and willingness to defend teammates continues to make him a valued locker-room presence.
Looking ahead, LaBate’s focus in 2025 will be on contributing whenever called upon, providing energy in limited NHL minutes, and anchoring Abbotsford’s middle of the lineup when assigned to the AHL. His journey from a fourth-round pick to a respected professional centre reflects steady development and a clear understanding of his role within a team.