• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Nashville Predators

Pondering Predators Picks: Robby Fabbri

By Hannah Stuart June 15th, 2014

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Does it really matter if players are “undersized” anymore? With guys like Brendan Gallagher, Brian Gibbons, and Mats Zuccarello making their mark this season, many teams appear to be moving away from the “bigger is better” mentality and going for skill over brawn. Gallagher might be 5’9” (allegedly), but he plays like he’s much bigger and has zero fear of going into the hard areas. Gibbons is fast enough to be a shorthanded threat on the penalty kill. Zuccarello has great offensive instincts and, in fact, led the New York Rangers in points in the regular season.

Robby Fabbri of the Guelph Storm may be small (he’s 5’10”, 170 lbs) but he shows strong potential in each of those areas. He’s got great natural speed, making him a shorthanded threat. He’s got good hockey sense and reads the ice well, always knowing where he needs to be to make the best play. He doesn’t shy away from board battles, something that would endear him to new Predators coach Peter Laviolette. For a team trying to retool their offensive future, the Predators could do far worse.

 

#493901493 / gettyimages.com

 

 

Feeling Out Fabbri

Fabbri is one of the best skaters in this draft. He can be all over the ice, backing up his team’s defenders when necessary, and his speed makes him dangerous on the penalty kill. He’s got a great first stride and good edgework, and even when he’s flying around at those high speeds he’s capable of keeping control of the puck.

He also has terrific hockey sense. Fabbri can see all of his options, play-wise, and decide where he needs to be and what he needs to do. Hockey IQ isn’t really something that you can teach — you can impart knowledge, you can hone skill, but some guys have that split-second instinct and some guys don’t. Fabbri does.

He was a vital component of Guelph’s Memorial Cup run, coming in third on the team in playoff scoring despite missing four games with injury, and I would argue that at the very least their run would not have been as dominant had they been lacking Fabbri. Dependability in high-pressure situations is a valuable skill in a player, as is high-end offensive potential. I hate to harp on the same point over and over, but the Predators need a guy who can score. Fabbri will do that.

 

#493792651 / gettyimages.com

 

Small Is a State of Mind

Fabbri battles well, and isn’t afraid to initiate contact despite his size, something that will undoubtedly please Peter Laviolette, who likes his players to be aggressive both with the puck and physically. He will fight along the boards to get the puck, never giving up even though that’s sometimes to his detriment. He could certainly stand to get bigger; his size is his biggest weakness, though of course it isn’t the only thing he needs to work on.

His work ethic is terrific; he’s tenacious and will work hard on every area of the ice. He’s proven to be responsible defensively, something that is promising in an junior player with as strong an offensive game as Fabbri has. His tenacity sometimes keeps him grinding to the point that he gets undisciplined, but that can be fixed with coaching and maturity. His resilience and skill make him a solid choice if the Predators are looking for skilled offensive help with their first round pick this year.

  • Tags
  • 2014 NHL Draft
  • Robby Fabbri
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 19th 10:15 AM
All-Star Weekend

1991 NHL All-Star Game & the Gulf War: The Modern NHL in a Time of War

Jan 19th 10:05 AM
Edmonton Oilers

4 Takeaways From the Oilers’ 3-1 Loss to the Canadiens

Jan 19th 9:55 AM
Los Angeles Kings

Kings’ Jeff Carter Playing Much Better After Surgery

Jan 19th 9:45 AM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs’ Takeaways: Andersen’s Back, a New Marner and More D

Jan 19th 9:35 AM
Minnesota Wild

Wild Get Much-Needed Intangibles & Experience With Bonino

Jan 19th 9:25 AM
Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche Look to Gain Momentum on California Road Trip

Jan 19th 9:15 AM
NHL Goaltending

Senators Can Be Optimistic With Comfortable & Confident Murray in Net

Jan 19th 9:05 AM
New Jersey Devils

Devils News & Rumors: Dell, Bratt & More

Jan 19th 8:55 AM
New York Rangers

Rangers’ Buchnevich Off to an Impressive Start

Jan 19th 8:45 AM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Go Defense First in Win Against the Jets

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information