The other day, Jason Gregor published an article for Oilers Nation about why adding Nashville Predators right-shot defenseman, Dante Fabbro makes no sense. However, given the right circumstances, the Oilers should definitely entertain the idea of adding Fabbro to their blue line. Fabbro is a dependable two-way defender. He is very poised, and makes high-percentage plays in his own zone. He is not the most offensively-gifted defender, but the Oilers don’t need that. They need someone steady who can play alongside Darnell Nurse.
Nurse can be erratic at times, and make poor decisions. Fabbro’s play style will complement Nurse well, and he should fit like a glove on the second pair. Fabbro is entering the final year of his deal with the Predators that carries a $2.5 million average annual value (AAV). This is a very reasonable contract for the 26-year old defenseman destined to play in the top four, especially for a team strapped against the salary cap. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this deal. Therefore, this deal expires before the inevitable Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard massive contract extensions would kick in.
Related: Oilers Reportedly Pursuing Massive Trade to “Shake Things Up”
The Oilers have a gaping hole on their blue line with the departures of Cody Ceci and Philip Broberg this offseason. The Dylan Holloway and Broberg offer sheets really put a damper on what was a great offseason by Oilers general manager Stan Bowman. The Oilers were expecting to have two young pieces on their roster with relatively cheap cap hits, which is important on any team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Now, they are left with holes to fill. While the Oilers do have right-shot options available such as Troy Stecher and the newly-acquired Ty Emberson, neither of them are intriguing second-pair options to play with Darnell Nurse. Fabbro is a clear upgrade over both of them. Emberson was a good pick-up by the Oilers, but he will have more success playing on the third-pair with Brett Kulak.
The Rumoured Fabbro Trade
The trade rumour mentioned in Gregor’s article was Fabbro for Max Wanner. Wanner is a 21-year old, right-shot defenseman. The former seventh-round pick in 2021 is developing nicely in the American Hockey League. However, he is not ready to make the jump to the NHL and contribute in the near future. With that said, the Oilers have one thing on their mind, and that is a Stanley Cup ring. The Oilers also have 19-year old, second-round pick, Beau Akey waiting in the wings. If the result is making the Oilers better short-term in pursuit of the Cup, that should make Wanner expendable.
The Predators’ Perspective
Would the Predators even consider shopping Fabbro? Nashville made a big splash this offseason, signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei in free agency. They also locked up their all-star netminder, Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension with an AAV of $7.74 million that kicks in next season. The Predators clearly want to win now, which makes a potential Fabbro deal unlikely.
The Evander Kane Question Mark
Evander Kane’s health is a major factor as to whether this deal is even logistical for salary cap reasons. For this deal to happen, Kane will need to be placed on long term injured reserve. If he is out until playoff time, this deal is easy to make. If not, there will need to be corresponding moves if Kane is activated before then, which complicates things. Therefore, if this deal gets done, it will likely not be until the 2025 Trade Deadline. We will have a better understanding on Kane’s status, as well as the Predators’ position in the standings at that time which will determine if they will be sellers or buyers.
Can the Oilers afford to wait until the trade deadline to improve their defense core? They are extremely thin back there, and one injury can be detrimental to the team’s success. The Oilers are still Stanley Cup favourites despite their defensive depth, or lack thereof. Their top-six forward group is arguably the best in the league, and they will need to prove it early in the season. They cannot afford another poor start like their 2-9-0 debacle last season. If a deal cannot be reached before the start of the season, the Oilers will need to rely heavily on goaltender, Stuart Skinner, and their offense until they can bolster their blue line.
