The Detroit Red Wings are getting closer to training camp, which means there will be a million news stories to follow. One that might fall under the radar of most pertains to a forward whose season ended with an ACL surgery.
The Detroit Red Wings have seen things pan out quite well with forward Robby Fabbri, who could wind up playing a similar role to Jakub Vrána did in the 2021-22 season. There is no way that the Red Wings will see Fabbri back early in the 2022-23 season, but he should be able t make it back in time for the second half.
It’s early, and no exact timetable has been given in regards to the veteran forward. But, he underwent surgery earlier this year and was able to shed his crutches and a brace at the end of Arpil. With his surgery happening in March, the timeline could see him back as early as December, but likely not until the new year, when the calendar turns to 2023.
Fabbri has been an integral part of the Red Wings’ offense in recent years, being the best trade acquisition of General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman as of now. Bold take, but I stand by it. With the 2022-23 season approaching fast, let’s take a look at what Fabbri will be able to bring to the table.
Detroit Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri will bring a nice bonus in 2022-23.
The Detroit Red Wings signed Robby Fabbri to a three-year, $12 million contract extension back in December of 2021. He’s earned two extensions from the Red Wings organization to this point, and it has been worth it. He’s been extremely unlucky with injuries but has been exceptional when he’s healthy and on the ice.
The unlucky part of his injuries brings me to my next point. Fabbri has sustained three ACL tears($) in his career. The expectation is that Fabbri can make a full recovery and will be good to go later in the 2022-23 season; there has to be some concern about the wear and tear on his body moving forward.
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Fabbri is coming off of a season where he still managed 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 total points over 56 games played. He’s been a consistent source of offense and will be a difference-maker when he returns. In a mid-summer piece from DSN Editorial Director Bob Heyrman predicting the team’s line combinations, he suggested that Dominik Kubalík will be the player to fill Fabbri’s shoes.
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It’s an on-the-money statement as Heyrman hit the nail on the head. He mentioned a quick note about Fabbri being out and Kubalík slotting in, which is true. Kubalík will be a nice boost in the team’s middle-six forwards and, eventually, do what Vrána did.
While Vrána’s return to the ice was delayed in 2021-22, when he came back, he picked up the scoring right away, and it was a nice added boost for the team’s offense. Fabbri is going to look to do the same in 2022-23. He’ll be able to re-join the team around the midpoint of the season and might just be a piece that helps make a real difference in the team’s offense.
With the injury problems he keeps having, he could be a trade chip. $4 million a year isn’t a bad price for a team that’s cap friendly and making a playoff push.