Just over six months after coming to the Columbus Blue Jackets via the waiver wire, the club announced Sunday they have signed defenseman Dante Fabbro to a long-term contract extension.
It's a four-year contract worth a total of $16.5, carrying an average annual value of $4.125 million. The deal, which also includes a $1M signing bonus, keeps Fabbro in Columbus through the 2028-29 season.
The extension includes a full no-trade clause for Fabbro this season, and a limited no-trade clause in its final three years.
“Dante was a great addition to our team last season and keeping him in Columbus was a priority,” said President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell. “He is a smart, versatile defenseman who moves the puck very well and can play in all situations."
"We are thrilled that he will continue to be an important part of our club moving forward.”
Fabbro, who turned 27 on June 20, played in 62 games with the Blue Jackets after joining the club off waivers from the Nashville Predators in early November. He had a career-high nine goals, as well as 17 assists, for a total of 26 points — also a career high.
All points came with the Blue Jackets, though Fabbro also appeared in six games for the Predators in the opening month of the season.
Fabbro saw a big boost in ice time once joining Columbus, skating an average of 21:39 per game — primarily on the top defensive pairing alongside Zach Werenski. His previous career high in minutes during his seven-year career was 19:19.
The Werenski-Fabbro combination spent 1,009 minutes on the ice together this season, the sixth highest in the league. They allowed just 2.32 goals per 60 minutes in that time despite consistently playing against the opposition's top scoring lines.
For his career, Fabbro has 25 goals and 73 assists, putting him just two shy of 100 career NHL points.
Fabbro made it clear throughout the latter half of the season and in his end-of-the-season media availability that his preference was to stay in Columbus, and Waddell has said several times that keeping Fabbro was a priority.
"I think Columbus is an unbelievable place to play," said Fabbro at the end of the season. "You just look at the makeup of the team and I think the sky's the limit."
"We're just scratching the surface of what we're able to do as a team."
Period three ready to begin; #CBJ with a huge opportunity to pick up two points at Madison Square Garden. Play smart.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 9, 2025
Here's the fourth and final goal of a wild second period, this one from Dante Fabbro to make it a 5-3 Blue Jackets lead.pic.twitter.com/tbRmwUTMWV
With Fabbro now extended, the Blue Jackets have one less question to answer when it comes to the blue line. The focus now becomes whether or not Waddell and company can add a top-four defenseman to the corps, something the organization has made a priority.
Free agency begins Tuesday, though a trade is still a possibility, as well. The Blue Jackets were a finalist for the services of former New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson, prior to a deal that sent the 25-year-old to the Montreal Canadiens.
