The Columbus Blue Jackets’ season continues and there has been no shortage of news from Ohio’s team. New head coach Dean Evason has been making an impact. The goaltending situation remains a question mark. Don Waddell dispensed of the drama surrounding David Jiricek’s developmental hiccups by trading him away. The team is only three points out of a wildcard ticket to the playoffs around the turn of the new year. And the effects of the summer’s tragic loss of life continues to linger in the team’s hearts and minds with tributes and memorials throughout the season. It has been a season of headlines.
One story that has flown under the radar over the last while has been the play of Dante Fabbro, whom the Blue Jackets picked up on waivers on Nov. 11. Fabbro had been a first-round pick for the Nashville Predators in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and was held in high esteem. At the time of selection, many were arguing who would be the better choice between Fabbro or now Boston Bruins star Charlie McAvoy – which simply goes to show the promise he once showed. With Nashville, Fabbro was given six years to grow and spent significant time beside their top dog, Roman Josi.
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Now 26, Fabbro was squeezed out of ice time in Nashville and was waived after a slow start to the season. Columbus pounced and he has been given more ice time and has excelled playing mostly on the top pair with Zach Werenski. With how well he has played through his first 17 games, it’s certainly possible that he’s played his way into a contract extension with the Blue Jackets.
Fabbro’s Best Opportunity Could Be In Columbus
The big question is if Fabbro has interest in sticking with the Blue Jackets beyond this season. As a right shot, shutdown defender, he’d have no shortage of suitors on the open market when his contract expires in July. He’s surely played himself into at least a modest raise over his current cap hit of $2.5 million.
The fact is that Fabbro’s best opportunity for personal success could be with the Blue Jackets. Sure, he could go to a contending team and play on their second or third pair and have a shot at a Stanley Cup. However, with Columbus, he’s spending a majority of his time on the team’s top pair with an all-world talent in Werenski.
When it comes to great defensemen like Werenski, an example I go back to is Erik Karlsson. When Karlsson was breaking out and at the height of his ability, he had Marc Methot beside him. Methot was a defensive stalwart who could cover up any mistakes made by Karlsson and his reliability gave the skilled Swede the confidence to go do his thing. Fabbro has already played that role to an extent, as it can’t be entirely coincidence that since he joined the team Werenski’s offensive production has popped with 21 points through those 17 games. Fabbro’s team-leading plus-12 rating through that stretch suggests his partner Werenski’s offense hasn’t been at the expense of overall defensive responsibility.
Another thing to note is the organizational need at the position. They’ve gone from a surplus at the right defense position last season, and then cleared out Andrew Peeke, Nick Blankenburg, and Adam Boqvist to pave the way for David Jiricek who is now also gone. Roster space had been saved in the near to long-term future for Jiricek and with no other right-shot defense prospects ready to join the mix in the near future, Fabbro could comfortably occupy a spot over the next couple of seasons without much competition. Looking at a right side of Fabbro, Damon Severson, and Erik Gudbranson could pan out pretty well.
Fabbro could still blossom into the player he was thought to be when he was drafted back in 2016 and he’s got a path to reach that in Columbus with a top pairing role open to him for the taking. Depending on how things continue to go, it would not be out of the question to see him sign an extension at some point this season. And if he’s not open to it, he’s certainly bumped his trade value on the market and could be traded to a contender for a decent return on investment for the Blue Jackets at the trade deadline.
