The Syracuse Crunch announced today that they have received the current AHL wins leader and four-time AHL All-Star goaltender Jean-Francois Labbe from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Labbe was acquired by the Blue Jackets in a trade today from the New York Rangers for defenseman Bert Robertsson.
Labbe, 28, appeared in eight games with the Hartford Wolf Pack this season, posting a 4-2-1 record with a 3.04 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. Last season Labbe led Hartford to the Calder Cup Championship, appearing in 49 regular season games recording a 27-13-7 record with a 2.52 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. He has appeared in 328 career AHL games with P.E.I., Cornwall, Hershey, Hamilton and Hartford going 159- 118-39.
A 5-foot-10, 172 pound native of Sherbrooke, PQ, Labbe has won two Calder Cup Championships (1996-97, Hershey and 1999- 00, Hartford), appearing in 67 career AHL playoff games, recording a 38-28 record.
A four-time AHL All-Star (1995-98 and 1999-00), Labbe was named the Bud Ice Top Goaltender for the Canadian All-Star Squad at the game played in Syracuse in 1998.
Labbe was named the AHL Most Valuable Player (Les Cunningham Award), the League''s Top Goaltender (Baz Bastien Memorial Trophy) and was named to the League''s First All- Star Team in 1996-97 after appearing in 66 games for the Hershey Bears, posting a League best 34 wins and 2.52 goals against average.
A two-time winner of the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award (1996-97 and 1999-00) for lowest team goals against average, Labbe has appeared in one career NHL game with the New York Rangers.
Labbe ranks third all-time in AHL history with 159 wins, trailing only Peter Sidorkiewicz (171 wins) and Sam St. Laurent (164).
Originally signed as a free agent by Ottawa on May 12, 1994, Labbe was traded to Colorado by Ottawa for future considerations on September 20, 1995. The Edmonton Oilers signed him as a free agent on September 2, 1997 before signing with the New York Rangers as a free agent on July 20, 1998.
Labbe became only the fifth goaltender in AHL history to score a goal on February 5, 2000.
Labbe compiled a 104-55-5, along with a 3.43 goals against average in 176 regular season games in four seasons with Trois-Rivieres and Hull of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.