After brief OHL Stint, Kevin Labanc carves out role with San Jose Sharks

If you threw a dart at a map of Staten Island, Lighthouse Hill would be just outside of a bull’s-eye.

That hill also holds a special spot in San Jose Sharks right wing Kevin Labanc’s memory.

"My dad (Milan) drove me there and we skated up and down it when I was a kid," remembered the 22-year-old, who’s in his third National Hockey League season. "We took advantage of everything that was available to us. Renting ice was too expensive. Little things like that pushed me harder."

Inspiring his son to keep improving as a hockey player was Milan’s plan all along. And he knew what it took to get the job done, since he had played professionally in his native Slovakia.