The day after a defeat punctuated by other defensive failures among the Montreal Canadiens, eyes were turned on Sunday to Dante Fabbro, placed on waivers the day before by the Nashville Predators.
Many Montreal fans asked Kent Hughes to claim him by 2 p.m., but the CH finally looked down on him since a team further down the waiver priority order, the Columbus Blue Jackets, grabbed the right-handed defender.
Only the San Jose Sharks had priority over the CH on waivers.
“Dante Fabbro is a mobile defender capable of moving the puck, who can play in all situations and bring mobility and depth to our defense,” said Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell in a press release.
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Fabbro, 26, is a first-round pick, 17th overall in 2016. He could become an unrestricted free agent next summer, earning an annual salary of $2.5 million.
He had lost the trust of Preds head coach Andrew Brunette as he was the least used back in Nashville this season.
The British Columbia native has 72 points, including 16 goals, in 315 career games in the National League. This season, he has not collected any points in six outings.
Furthermore, the Blue Jackets have placed forward Kent Johnson’s name on the injured list. The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft injured his upper body during the October 17 game against the Buffalo Sabres. He has two goals and three assists for five points in four games so far in 2024-25.
