Kings Agree To Terms With LaBarbera; Ink Stuart
Published on July 3, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
Manchester, NH - The Los Angeles Kings, the parent club of the Manchester Monarchs, have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with restricted free agent goaltender Jason LaBarbera and a one-year contract with free agent defenseman Brad Stuart, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.
LaBarbera, 27, was named the winner of the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award (given to the most outstanding goaltender in the American Hockey League) and named a First Team AHL All-Star after posting a record of 39-20-1, seven shutouts, a goals-against-average of 2.21 and a save-percentage of .933 in 62 games with the Monarchs this past season. LaBarbera led all AHL goaltenders in appearances (62), wins (39), save-percentage (.933), minutes played (3,619), shots faced (1,995) and saves (1,862), and he tied for second in the league with seven shutouts while leading the Monarchs to an Atlantic Division championship. He also was voted to be a starter for the Canadian team at the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic and was the Rbk X-Pulse AHL Goaltender of the Month for January.
LaBarbera also had a record of 6-7, one shutout, a goals-against-average of 2.77 and a save-percentage of .911 in 13 post-season games with the Monarchs, who advanced to the AHL's Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history this past post-season.
LaBarbera began his Kings career in 2005-06 by winning his first five games of the season to tie a club record (also held by Daniel Berthiaume, 1990-91) and he finished the season with a record of 11-9-2, one shutout, a goals-against-average of 3.25 and a save-percentage of .907. He was also the winning goalie in the Kings' first ever shootout game, a 3-2 win vs. Nashville on November 5, 2005. LaBarbera faced a career high 40 shots versus Calgary on April 15, 2006 (2-1 shootout win), and he recorded his first-ever NHL shutout in the last game of the 2005-06 season, making 31 saves in a 4-0 victory at San Jose on April 17, 2006.
LaBarbera, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound native of Burnaby, British Columbia, has a record of 12-11-2, one shutout, a goals-against-average of 3.11 and a save-percentage of .891 in 34 career regular season NHL games with the Kings and the New York Rangers.
LaBarbera was originally selected by the Rangers in the third-round (86th overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
Stuart, 27, has played seven NHL seasons with the Calgary Flames, the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks. In 507 career regular season games, he has 206 points (53-153=206), 303 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating. In 52 career playoff games, he has 12 points (3-9=12) and 33 penalty minutes.
This past season, Stuart played with both Calgary and Boston, and he recorded 22 points (7-15=22) and 44 penalty minutes while skating in 75 games. He had 17 points (7-10=17) and 26 penalty minutes in 48 games with Boston, and he recorded his 200th NHL point with a goal versus Pittsburgh on January 18, 2007. He was traded to Calgary along with center Wayne Primeau in exchange for defenseman Andrew Ference and right wing Chuck Kobasew on February 10, 2007, and in 27 games with the Flames, he recorded five points (0-5=5), 18 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating.
Stuart also recorded one point (0-1=1) and six penalty minutes in six Stanley Cup playoff games with Calgary this past post-season.
Stuart established new career highs for goals (12), assists (31) and points (43) while skating with both San Jose and Boston in 2005-06. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound native of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, began his NHL career with the Sharks in 1999-2000, where he led all defensemen in scoring, finished second in voting for the Calder Trophy (given to the league's Rookie of the Year) and was named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team. Stuart was originally selected by the Sharks in the first-round (3rd overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
Internationally, Stuart has played for his native Canada at the World Championships in 2006 and 2001, and at the World Junior Championships in 1999 (silver medal).
Prior to turning pro, Stuart played three seasons with Regina and Calgary of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and collected 175 points (53-122=175) and 241 penalty minutes in 188 career games. He was named the Canadian Major Junior Defenseman of the Year and a Canadian Major Junior First Team All-Star while leading Calgary to a WHL championship in 1999.
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American Hockey League Stories from July 3, 2007
- Kings Agree To Terms With LaBarbera; Ink Stuart - Manchester Monarchs
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- Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Jay Leach and David Schneider - Norfolk Admirals
- Ottawa Signs Bois, Carkner - Binghamton Senators
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- Canucks Sign Ritchie, Isbister - Manitoba Moose
- Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Goaltender David Brown - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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