COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets have had to juggle their defensive pairs since the start of the season to make up for the lack of right-side defenders, but Sunday’s foray onto the NHL’s waiver wire may create a better fit.
The Blue Jackets claimed veteran defenseman Dante Fabbro off waivers from the Nashville Predators, adding a former first-round pick (No. 17 overall in 2016) who has dressed in 315 games for the Predators since late in the 2018-19 season.
Fabbro, 26, is flying from Nashville to Seattle on Sunday evening to meet the Blue Jackets on Monday. It’s unclear if he’ll make his Blue Jackets debut on Tuesday against the Kraken in Climate Pledge Arena.
The Blue Jackets have had to patch together their defense from the start of the season, moving Ivan Provorov from the left side to the right to give them two trustworthy right-side defenders in their top four. Provorov has paired with Zach Werenski on the top pair, while Damon Severson has joined Jake Christiansen on the second pair.
The third pair, meanwhile, has been a revolving door since veteran Erik Gudbranson went down with a shoulder injury last month that required surgery. Jack Johnson, Jordan Harris and David Jiříček have all played, with Johnson playing right or left depending on his partner.
The Blue Jackets aren’t likely to carry eight defensemen for too long, so Fabbro’s acquisition could portend another roster move. Harris would need to clear waivers to be sent to AHL Cleveland, but Jiříček can go to the minors without waivers.
It’s unclear who Fabbro might be paired with when he makes his debut, but he’s happy just to be playing.
Wishing you all the best in Columbus, Dante! pic.twitter.com/5Za2NOYl4Z
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 10, 2024
The Predators were the NHL’s most aggressive club this offseason, but their major moves — signing free agents Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, among others — have yet to pay off, and GM Barry Trotz has been warning of a major shake-up.
Nashville has won only five of its first 15 games, including an Oct. 26 win over Columbus. But Fabbro has dressed in only six games, with no goals or points and a minus-3 rating.
“I found myself in an odd-man-out rotation, and more often than not, I was the guy getting called out,” Fabbro told The Athletic. “There was definitely some frustration, but when you go through something like this, you reflect on who you are.
“I used that time in practice to work on things I might not have had a chance to work on. I wanted to be as prepared as I possibly could be when I had a chance to come back in the lineup. I didn’t get that chance with Nashville, but now I’m excited to be part of the Blue Jackets.”
In order to fit Fabbro on the 23-man roster, the Blue Jackets placed winger Kent Johnson (shoulder) on injured reserve. He’s expected back before the end of November, though the Blue Jackets have not publicly announced a target return date.
Fabbro signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Predators last summer. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
