As the Nashville Predators found out last season with Eeli Tolvanen, plugging a much-hyped first round draft pick into the lineup at the tail-end of the regular season does not always guarantee success.
However, Dante Fabbro is proving to be a specialized case.
Fabbro, the Predators first round pick in 2016, signed a three-year, entry-level contract on March 27 and has played in four games for the Preds to close out the regular season.
He scored his first-career NHL goal in Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, igniting multi-goal comeback for the Predators that helped clinch Nashville’s second straight Central Division championship.
“Obviously, it was a pretty big goal to get us going,” Fabbro said. “I’m proud of this group, they’ve battled all year. To welcome me in at this time is an unbelievable feeling. Getting that first goal was even sweeter and to top it off, we’re Central Division champs and nobody can take that away from us.”
The goal served as a bit of redemption for Fabbro, who stated he felt responsible for allowing the Blackhawks first goal and wanted to make it up to his teammates.
“After that giveaway I had in the first period that led to their goal, I was just thinking I need to make it up to these guys somehow,” Fabbro said. “Luckily, I got an opportunity to jump back at the blue line there, and Fil made an unbelievable play to me.
“I saw a little bit of room on the glove side, but I pretty much kind of blacked out there. I was aiming for the high, far side and luckily it went post and in. It was a pretty good feeling.”
What may be even more impressive than the actual goal itself is the fact that Fabbro not only felt the weight of his perceived mistake, but he didn’t let the immensity of the situation overwhelm him, remaining composed and redeeming himself with the perhaps the biggest goal of the Predators’ season.
“His game for me was really strong, especially after that (first goal),” Preds coach Peter Laviolette said. “You have a really young player like that, that feels responsibility…we didn’t look at it quite so harshly because the puck was on the wall and it bounced on him, he’s trying to make a play and it went into their hands, it’s not like it was a huge error.
“But you’ve got to like his response. That could be a spot that a young player could become derailed, but he did not and he got stronger as the game went on.”
“He’s been great,” Preds captain Roman Josi added. “I mean, what a huge goal tonight. No better time than tonight to get your first. He looks really mature out there, he plays great, he’s really calm and he got rewarded with a huge goal.”
Partnering with seasoned-vet Dan Hamhuis, Fabbro has looked every bit the part of an NHL defenseman. Ask anyone in the Preds locker room and they’ll tell you the 20-year-old rookie is mature beyond his years.
That maturity, coupled with a solid body of work over the brief four-game glimpse we’ve seen so far, is what has made Fabbro’s transition from the NCAA to the NHL so seamless. “It’s pretty incredible moving from college and jumping up to the NHL,” Fabbro said. “Obviously, there is an adjustment period, but I thought the way these guys treated me coming into the locker room, and the way they work on the ice, it rubs off on guys like me coming in. It’s a lot of fun to be here, and I love coming to the rink and working as hard as I can to help and do whatever I can to help this team win.”
