Did Joe LaBate play his way into Canucks call-up consideration this preseason?

The Vancouver Canucks made a relatively small amount of additions to their organization this offseason. Aside from their slate of draft picks and a trade for Evander Kane, GM Patrik Allvin and Co. made just a small handful of free agent signings.

And of that small handful of free agent signings, among the least-heralded was that of Joseph LaBate.

In fact, the only folks who may have noticed are those who follow Vancouver prospects closely and have been doing so for a while.

This is not LaBate’s first turn with the organization. The 32-year-old was drafted by the Canucks way back in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft – held just weeks after the conclusion of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals.

As the 101^st overall selection, LaBate had an uphill, and lengthy, battle to reach the NHL. Following the draft, he played a full four seasons of NCAA hockey at the University of Wisconsin, then joined the Utica Comets full-time for the 2015-16 season. That’s about when he discovered that fighting and physicality were going to be his calling cards.

LaBate made it to the big leagues by the next season, playing 13 games for Vancouver in the 2016-17 season. While up, he managed no points, but he did manage to drop the mitts with some big boys, including Brendan Dillon and Ryan Reaves.

LaBate would stick around for one more year in the organization, but received no call-ups and then did not receive a qualifying offer. He signed with the Ottawa Senators organization in the summer of 2018 and began a long run of AHL stints. Then, after spending the 2023-24 season overseas in the KHL, LaBate came back to North America last season to join the Columbus Blue Jackets’ organization, and managed to get called up for six NHL games – a full eight seasons after his 13, and only, NHL games with the Canucks.

Or perhaps we should say: his only NHL games with the Canucks so far.

There wasn’t much hype for LaBate’s homecoming heading into the 2025-26 preseason. It would have been surprising if it was. But LaBate managed to make a lasting impression all the same, and one that could very well result in his eventually being called up to Vancouver this season. At the very least, he moved himself a few spaces up the call-up rankings.

It’s not something that can be read from stat sheets. LaBate played in four preseason games for the Canucks, and managed just a single assist. No, this was far more of an ‘eye-test’ thing.

LaBate was definitely noticeable out there in all four exhibition matches, and primarily for those calling cards we mentioned earlier – physicality and fisticuffs. But the clear difference between this and LaBate’s previous stint with the organization was how much of an impact he made with those tools.

LaBate seemed to constantly be catching opponents unaware despite his considerable 6’5”, 225 pound frame, and that led to him absolutely crushing a few fools per game. This was especially true on the forecheck, where LaBate showed improved wheels and a real knack for getting in there and laying the body.

And it wasn’t just the Canucks’ faithful who noticed. LaBate drew plenty of ire from the opposition for his hitting. He smoked Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken, causing John Hayden to chase him down and take an extra minor in the course of starting a fight. LaBate also managed to draw the Calgary Flames’ regular Joel Farabee into a scrap, marking a rather large talent disparity.

And he did all this without ever looking like too much of a liability out there on the ice, whether on offence or defence.

The Canucks’ front office and coaching staff must have taken note of this, because even after the majority of cuts were made – including LaBate himself being placed on, and clearing waivers – it was LaBate who was ‘called up’ for one last preseason game. Whether that was because the team wanted another look at him, or because this 2025 preseason was a little violent and they felt a need for an enforcer-type, it all adds up to the same conclusion.

LaBate came into this preseason as little more than presumed AHL depth. He exited it as a legitimate candidate for a mid-season call-up.

This is especially true with the NHL seemingly setting itself up for a scrappy season. Hot off the heels of a wild exhibition schedule, there have already been plenty of incidents in the opening days of the regular season, including dueling hits from behind in the Canucks’ own home opener on Thursday against the Flames.

Put it this way: there are plenty who wouldn’t mind seeing LaBate join the Vancouver roster the next time they play Calgary on November 23.

We don’t expect LaBate to be a big part of the picture this year. But we do expect him to be a more valuable piece of the puzzle that was previously expected. He’ll stay down in Abbotsford for now, providing some veteran guidance and keeping a protective eye over top prospects like Tom Willander. He’ll probably give Vilmer Alriksson some tips on throwing down with heavyweights.

And when the going gets especially tough up at the NHL level, we suspect LaBate will eventually get that same call he last got from the Canucks nearly a decade ago.