Jean-François Labbé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jean-François Labbé
Labbé in 2016
Born	(1972-06-15) June 15, 1972 (age 53) Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	New York Rangers Columbus Blue Jackets HC Lada Togliatti Augsburger Panther Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers Vienna Capitals
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	1993–2011

Jean-François Labbé (born June 15, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 15 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets between 2000 and 2003. Labbé also had a very successful career in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in several leagues across Europe.

Playing Career Highlights

Jean-François Labbé started playing hockey at a young age. As a kid, he took part in the famous Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1984 and 1986. He played for a team from his hometown, Sherbrooke.

Junior Hockey Years

After his youth hockey days, Labbé spent four seasons playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). This is a top league for young players in Canada. He played for the Trois-Rivières Draveurs and the Hull Olympiques.

Success in the AHL

Labbé had a very strong career in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played for many teams, including the Prince Edward Island Senators, Cornwall Aces, Hershey Bears, Hamilton Bulldogs, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Syracuse Crunch.

His best season was in 1996–1997 with the Hershey Bears. That year, he won two big awards:

• The Hap Holmes Memorial Award for having the lowest goals against average (GAA). This means he let in the fewest goals per game.
• The Les Cunningham Award for being the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Labbé also helped the Hartford Wolf Pack win the Calder Cup in 2000. The Calder Cup is the championship trophy for the AHL.

Time in the NHL

Even though he was mostly known for his AHL success, Labbé did play in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played one game for the New York Rangers at the end of the 1999–2000 season. Later, he played 14 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons.

Playing Overseas

After his time in the NHL, Labbé played hockey in other countries. He played for the Tolyatti Lada in Russia. He also spent three seasons in Germany's top league, the DEL, playing for Augsburger Panther and the Sinupret Ice Tigers. Later, he joined the Vienna Capitals in Austria.

Labbé finished his hockey career in 2011, playing for the Sherbrooke Saint-François in a league back in Quebec.

Hall of Fame Recognition

In 2016, Jean-François Labbé was chosen to be part of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor for a player's career.

Career Records

Jean-François Labbé holds some impressive records with the Syracuse Crunch team:

• Lowest Goals Against Average (GAA) in a single season: 2.18 (in 2001–02).
• Highest single season save percentage: .928 (in 2001–02). This means he stopped almost 93% of the shots he faced.
• Career shutouts: 11. A shutout is when a goalie doesn't let any goals in during a whole game.

Awards and Honours