After having a career year, Kevin Labanc appears to be in high demand.
The 23-year-old tallied 56 points (17 goals, 39 assists) and steadied himself once he joined Joe Thornton's line. Labanc will become a restricted free agent July 1, and although the Sharks would love to keep him, they might have some competition for the young winger, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
On Tuesday, the Sharks issued qualifying offers to Labanc and six others, meaning the Sharks retain their rights and are entitled to compensation should any of the seven players sign an offer sheet with another team.
That's what makes the possibility of Labanc leaving a bit far-fetched.
If Labanc did sign an offer sheet, the Sharks would be entitled to compensation based on the salary he received.
No player has signed an offer sheet since 2013, and much of the offer sheet talk has been overblown. Most hockey general managers are too scared to put pen to paper when it comes to offer sheets.
[RELATED: Stay or go: Why keeping Nyquist could be hard for Sharks]
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks have a tenuous cap situation after the Erik Karlsson signing. They are slotted to have only $14.8 million left and could lose Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist all of whom are unrestricted free agents.
Smart money is on Labanc returning to San Jose, but anything is possible.