Thunderbirds sign Stephan Leblanc to a One-Year Contract
Jul 26, 2021
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (July 26, 2021) - The Halifax Thunderbirds today announced they have re-signed veteran forward Stephan Leblanc to a one-year contract.
Leblanc, 35, is one of the most prolific left-handed scorers in the NLL’s 35-year history. He signed with the Thunderbirds in Aug. 2020 as an unrestricted free agent, choosing to play where he also lives with his wife and children in Halifax.
"Steph has been an elite scorer in the NLL for a long time," said Head Coach Mike Accursi. "He is an extremely smart player with fantastic floor vision. His offensive pedigree and work ethic is exactly the type of player we want representing the Thunderbirds. I’m excited to see him work with our already potent left side."
A native of Dundas, Ontario, Leblanc spent the 2019-20 season with the New England Black Wolves (now the Albany FireWolves). He saw action in 10 contests, finishing with 36 points (8G, 28A), 45 loose balls, and three caused turnovers.
Leblanc, a product of Queens University of Charlotte, was originally selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NLL Entry Draft by the Rock. The 11-year NLL vet spent his first eight seasons with the Rock and was traded two games into the 2017-18 NLL season to the Black Wolves.
In 178 regular season games played, Leblanc sits right at 800 points (309G, 491A), 821 loose balls, 55 caused turnovers, and a career shooting percentage at an even 15%. Across 19 postseason games, he has 70 points (26G, 44A), 83 loose balls, and four caused turnovers.
In 2010, Leblanc was the NLL Rookie of the Year and named to the All-Rookie Team, and he was named to the 2011 NLL All-Pro Second Team in his sophomore season.
"Adding a veteran player like Steph Leblanc is huge for our offense. He is a guy that has been a proven scorer in the NLL for years. He can do it all on the offensive side of the ball and I know he will add even more leadership to our team.," said Thunderbirds forward Clarke Petterson. "I’m excited to learn from him and I’m excited to add such a big piece to our already dangerous left side.”
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The Thunderbirds return to Scotiabank Centre for #UnfinishedBusiness on Dec. 4, 2021 to take on the Saskatchewan Rush. Season tickets to watch championship-caliber professional lacrosse in Nova