Samuel Laberge started this season on a minor league deal, but the Devils have seen something that they like as they announced that they have signed the forward to a one-year entry-level contract. The contract will pay him $775K in the NHL and $90K in the minors.
The 26-year-old has been somewhat of a journeyman thus far in his career. Undrafted out of the QMJHL, Laberge spent two seasons in the minors for Dallas before playing for a year in the LNAH, an independent league in Quebec to be closer to his father who had just been diagnosed with cancer. From there, he played on an ECHL deal in Minnesota before inking a minor-league agreement with New Jersey’s farm team back in 2021. This is his third season in their system.
Laberge has played in eight games with AHL Utica this season, recording a goal and two assists along with a team-high 16 penalty minutes. For his career, he has 54 points in 201 AHL appearances. Despite this contract, Laberge won’t get the opportunity to play in the NHL right away as the Devils immediately assigned him back to the Comets. However, having this deal in place puts him in a position to be recalled when injuries strike later in the season.