Columbus Blue Jackets claim defenceman, snubbing Edmonton Oilers

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Finnegan Frost
November 10, 2024 (5:28 PM)

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The Edmonton Oilers were the centre of attention last night in the NHL as hockey analysts were predicting that the team would be claiming Dante Fabbro.

Yesterday, the Nashville Predators sent shockwaves down the NHL, placing former first round pick Dante Fabbro on waivers.

Hockey Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that GM Stan Bowman was in contact with the Nashville Predators, discussing the options of a trade to help bolster the teams back-end.

According to Liam McCormick of Oilers Daily, Fabbro is a 26 year old right shot defenceman, and a former first round draft pick of the Predators in 2016. He's consistently put up decent analytics in his time with the Predators, but his ice time has significantly decreased over the last two years.

Fabbro is under contract for only $2.5M, but that even that salary would've been tough for the Oilers to take. Just yesterday, multiple insiders expected the Oilers to place a claim on Fabbro.

Fabbro has been struggling to gain traction with the Nashville Predators this season, being scratched 9 times in 15 games.

It's no secret by now that the Edmonton Oilers are on the hunt for a top-four d-man, as the team has been struggling on the blue-line thus far.

The Oilers may have believed in Fabbro enough to place a claim on him, but taking his full $2.5M salary likely would mean that he would essentially be the team's trade deadline acquisition. Fabbro may turn out to play up to his potential in Columbus, but it still would've been a major risk for the Oilers to claim Fabbro.
-Oilers Daily

As it stands, GM Stan Bowman is carefully weighing his options, not rushing into anything that could negatively impact the team's salary cap moving forward.