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Robby Fabbri

Atlantic Notes: Krejci, Ekblad, Fabbri

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Speaking with reporters including Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald after Friday’s victory, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery indicated that center David Krejci is 50/50 to play in Sunday’s fourth contest against the Panthers.  Krejci is dealing with an upper-body injury, meaning that Boston played last night without their top two middlemen with Patrice Bergeron not expected to make his series debut until Wednesday.  Krejci was an important secondary scorer for Boston this season with 16 goals and 40 assists, a solid return to the NHL after spending last season in Czechia and his return would certainly help a thinned-out center group.  However, he did not take part in today’s morning skate with a final answer on his availability not expected until tomorrow; he’s officially listed as questionable.

More from the Atlantic Division:

  • After leaving last night’s game early with an injury, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad took part in an optional skate this morning, relays George Richards of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link). Notably, he wasn’t wearing a no-contact sweater which suggests that he’ll be good to go on Sunday although he’s officially listed as a game-time decision.  Ekblad had a down year by his standards but still picked up 38 points in 71 games while logging over 23 minutes a night and is a key part of Florida’s back end.
  • Although Red Wings winger Robby Fabbri missed the final six weeks of the season after undergoing another knee surgery, he told MLive’s Ansar Khan that he would have been able to return had Detroit made the playoffs. This latest procedure was more of a cleanup instead of a full ACL reconstruction which means that the 27-year-old will have a full offseason to train and be ready for training camp in the fall.  Fabbri was limited to just 28 games this season but did fairly well when he was in the lineup, picking up seven goals and nine assists.

Nominees Announced For 2023 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

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The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given out annually to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has voted on the award since 1968, and today they announced their nominees for 2023.

Past winners of the award include Carey Price (2022), Oskar Lindblom (2021), Bobby Ryan (2020), Robin Lehner (2019), Brian Boyle (2018), Craig Anderson (2017), and Jaromir Jagr (2016).

Below are the nominees from each team:

Anaheim Ducks – Jakob Silfverberg

Arizona Coyotes – Clayton Keller

Boston Bruins – Nick Foligno

Buffalo Sabres – Craig Anderson

Calgary Flames – Mikael Backlund

Carolina Hurricanes – Jordan Martinook

Chicago Blackhawks – Alex Stalock

Colorado Avalanche – Andrew Cogliano

Columbus Blue Jackets – Boone Jenner

Dallas Stars – Jamie Benn

Detroit Red Wings – Robby Fabbri

Edmonton Oilers – Derek Ryan

Florida Panthers – Patric Hornqvist

Los Angeles Kings – Pheonix Copley

Minnesota Wild – Mason Shaw

Montreal Canadiens – Alex Belzile

Nashville Predators – Cody Glass

New Jersey Devils – Dougie Hamilton

New York Islanders – Zach Parise

New York Rangers – Jimmy Vesey

Ottawa Senators – Derick Brassard

Philadelphia Flyers – Nick Seeler

Pittsburgh Penguins – Kris Letang

San Jose Sharks – Nikolai Knyzhov

Seattle Kraken – Brandon Tanev

St. Louis Blues – Sammy Blais

Tampa Bay Lightning – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

Toronto Maple Leafs – Mark Giordano

Vancouver Canucks – Brock Boeser

Vegas Golden Knights – Phil Kessel

Washington Capitals – John Carlson

Winnipeg Jets – Sam Gagner

Robby Fabbri Shut Down For Remainder Of Season

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Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde announced on Wednesday that forward Robby Fabbri is officially out for the rest of 2022-23 due to a lower-body injury.

In addition to the announcement about Fabbri, the Red Wings also announced that forward Taro Hirose has been reassigned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Hirose, 26, made his season debut in last night’s 7-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing 7:57. He’s continued to be one of Grand Rapids’ best players this season, leading the team in scoring with 15 goals, 39 assists, and 54 points in 64 games.

Fabbri has been dealing with a lower-body injury since March 8, and Lalonde said Fabbri will require a four-to-six-week recovery period from this point forward. However, he is expected to fully recover in time for the 2023-24 NHL season.

It’s an unfortunate break for Fabbri, who’s no stranger to significant injuries. He missed the entirety of the 2017-18 season and most of the 2018-19 season with a torn ACL and upper-body injury, respectively. Fabbri also missed the end of 2021-22 with another ACL injury, and an MCL injury cost him the first few months of the 2022-23 campaign.

Fabbri, 27, still managed to produce when healthy this season, scoring seven goals and nine assists in 28 games. He was acquired by the team in a trade with the St. Louis Blues in 2019.

Atlantic Notes: Fabbri, Husso, Bennett

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EP Rinkside’s Sean Shapiro reports Robby Fabbri is likely done for the season. The Detroit Red Wings winger has not played since March 8 when he was ruled out with a lower-body injury. It initially sounded like he could return this season, but Head Coach Derek Lalonde spoke with media today and shut down any hope of a return for the 27 year old. Fabbri had scored seven goals and 16 points in 28 games this season after missing the first three months of the season with a knee injury.

This is just the latest in a series of serious injuries for Fabbri. He missed the entire 2017-18 season, was limited to 32 games in 2018-19, 30 games in 2020-21, 56 games last season and will finish this year with just 28. A skilled forward, Fabbri could be an impact player for the Red Wings if he were able to remain healthy. Hopefully Fabbri is able to bounce back quickly from his latest setback and have a productive offseason and a strong 2023-24.

  • Also in Detroit, Shapiro reports goaltender Ville Husso could be done for the season as well. Husso last played on March 20 and was then ruled out with a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old goaltender has a 25-19-6 record this season with a 3.01 GAA and a .899 SV%. Shapiro says he is in a weeks long evaluation period and is getting second opinions on his injury.
  • The Florida Panthers play-by-play commentator for the Panther Radio Network, Doug Plagens, reports Sam Bennett will miss another game this evening. The 26-year-old center last played a week ago and has since been listed as day-to-day though his injury has not been disclosed. Bennett has 16 goals and 40 points in 63 games for the Panthers, who are trying to chase down the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. They are currently three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Injury Notes: Fabbri, Carlson, Hurricanes

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More than just Detroit Red Wings fans cringed when they saw Robby Fabbri limp off the ice last night with a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old has been through multiple major knee surgeries in his career, but keeps coming back and showing that he can contribute at the NHL level on reconstructed ACLs.

When he missed practice today, it seemed like it might be bad news for the talented winger, but head coach Derek Lalonde told reporters that Fabbri is only out day-to-day. The Red Wings will be cautious for obvious reasons, but the team is optimistic that he avoided a serious injury.

  • John Carlson was on the ice again today for the Washington Capitals, as he continues to recover from the head injury he suffered earlier this season. Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports that the defenseman joined the scratches’ skate, albeit in a non-contact sweater. A more significant update is still expected in the next few days.
  • It’s finger-crossing days for the Carolina Hurricanes, who will have to hope their goaltending depth will stay healthy through a playoff run this time. Today, head coach Rod Brind’Amour explained that the team is hopeful the recent injury to Antti Raanta is “not too serious” but couldn’t give a more specific timeline. Jalen Chatfield, meanwhile, is getting evaluated today and is expected to miss some time.

Jakub Vrana Clears Waivers

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Jan 4: The Red Wings’ gamble has paid off, as Vrana cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins. This would actually increase Vrana’s trade value if Detroit is looking to make a move, given he can now be stashed in the minors while he gets back up to speed by any acquiring team. Fabbri has been officially activated from injured reserve to take his place.

Jan 3: The Detroit Red Wings were expected to place a player on waivers today to make room for Robby Fabbri’s return, but no one expected it to be Jakub Vrana. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets reports that the forward, who only recently moved to the next phase of the Player Assistance Program, has been placed on waivers today.

Vrana, 26, is in the second season of a three-year, $15.75MM contract he signed with the Red Wings in 2021 after being acquired from the Washington Capitals. The 13th overall pick from 2014, he had shown an ability to score at a high level and appeared to be a core piece for the team moving forward. Since arriving in Detroit, though, Vrana has been in and out of the lineup, and has just 39 games played as a Red Wing. This season he has appeared at the NHL level just twice, recording two points.

This could be nothing more than the Red Wings, believing his contract will get him through waivers, allowing Vrana to get his game back in order at the minor league level. But even with the $5.25MM cap hit, there is at least some risk of losing him entirely. Several rebuilding clubs have the cap space necessary to fit him in, and given his relative youth and strong history in the league, it may be worth the chance.

Through 323 NHL games, Vrana has scored 98 goals and 189 points, a 25-goal, 48-point pace when expanded to a full 82-game schedule. While other teams may not have a full understanding of his current situation, it would be hard to blame them for taking a swing with a waiver claim. His contract, while expensive, does expire after next season and leave him an unrestricted free agent, meaning for a club like the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, or Arizona Coyotes, there would be the possibility of a short-term flip for more assets a year from now.

That would of course mean committing to a significant salary, though. Vrana is owed $5.75MM next season in the slightly back-loaded deal.

The Red Wings, meanwhile, have some big contract negotiations upcoming, so this is perhaps an attempt to get out from under Vrana’s deal. Dylan Larkin, Pius Suter, and Tyler Bertuzzi are all unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, with the former likely demanding a huge raise over his current $6.1MM cap hit. If Steve Yzerman no longer believes in Vrana as a core piece, he could be looking for a little financial freedom by offering him up to the rest of the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Injury Notes: Oshie, Fabbri, Jets

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The Washington Capitals are expected to get T.J. Oshie back in the lineup tonight, though he has been officially listed as a game-time decision. The veteran forward hasn’t played since December 17 and has just 22 appearances under his belt this season. Those have been relatively unsuccessful appearances, too, with Oshie registering just two points in the 11 games prior to the injury. He has just five goals and 11 points on the year.

Still, with Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, and Tom Wilson all returning relatively soon, the Capitals have several key veterans getting back for the second-half run. Whether that can result in legitimate Stanley Cup contention remains to be seen, but they’ve been doing just fine so far. Washington is 8-1-1 in their last ten and have closed the gap to just two points between them and the tail-spinning New Jersey Devils for second in the Metropolitan Division.

  • The Detroit Red Wings are expected to place someone on waivers today, given the imminent return of Robby Fabbri. Team reporter Daniella Bruce reports that Fabbri will be back in the lineup playing with Pius Suter and Oskar Sundqvist tomorrow when the Red Wings take on the Devils. The 26-year-old is coming off another ACL injury and will be making his season debut after scoring 17 goals and 30 points in 2021-22.
  • If it were the playoffs, Nate Schmidt, Cole Perfetti, and Nikolaj Ehlers would all be in the Winnipeg Jets lineup, according to head coach Rick Bowness, who spoke with reporters including Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun today. None of them will play, against the Calgary Flames but are on the verge of returning to the lineup. For Ehlers, a return would be his third appearance of the season and first game since October 17. Josh Morrissey, who has also missed practice recently, is expected to play.

Atlantic Notes: Vrana, Fabbri, Hollowell, Smith

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Red Wings winger Jakub Vrana will report to AHL Grand Rapids for a three-game conditioning stint, reports Max Bultman of The Athletic (Twitter link).  Vrana was recently reinstated by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and after skating with Detroit for a week, it appears as if he’s ready to get some game action in.  Until he’s ready to return to the NHL lineup, Vrana won’t be part of Detroit’s active roster.

Meanwhile, there could be more help on the horizon for the Red Wings as Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News reports (Twitter link) that winger Robby Fabbri could be ready to return to the lineup on January 4th.  The veteran has missed the entire season so far after undergoing knee surgery back in March.  Fabbri had 17 goals in 56 games in 2021-22 and his possible return coupled with Vrana’s could give Detroit two-thirds of a strong secondary scoring trio as they look to hang around the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • The Maple Leafs announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defenseman Mac Hollowell from AHL Toronto on an emergency basis. It’s the fourth emergency recall for the 24-year-old in less than two weeks as the team hedges their bets with some of their injured blueliners.  Toronto had an open roster spot so no other move needed to be made to bring up Hollowell, who has two assists in six NHL games so far this season.
  • As expected, the Bruins have recalled winger Craig Smith from AHL Providence, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 33-year-old cleared waivers earlier this month and the team will likely paper him down to the minors on off days to bank a bit of cap space.  They did so over the weekend, saving a little more than $18K by doing so.  Smith has four points in 19 games for Boston so far this season.

Injury Notes: Copp, Caamano, Ostapchuk

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The Detroit Red Wings will be without Andrew Copp for training camp, announcing today that the big free agent signing underwent abdominal surgery in the offseason. Copp is expected back the first week of the regular season, when he’ll start to try and live up to the five-year, $28.125MM contract he signed this offseason.

It’s a tough start for the Red Wings, who also confirmed some timelines on other previously-reported injuries. Jake Walman will be back at some point in November, while Robby Fabbri and Mark Pysyk are out until early 2023. Chase Pearson, who made his NHL debut last season with Detroit, is away from the team indefinitely due to personal matters.

  • It was back surgery for Nicholas Caamano, according to general manager Jim Nill, who told reporters including Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that the young forward will miss three months. Caamano, 24, played in 36 games for the Stars between 2019-2021 before spending all of last year in the minor leagues. Anton Khudobin has not yet been cleared for games but will be on the ice for training camp. The team signed Scott Wedgewood to a two-year deal this offseason after he played well down the stretch, suggesting that Khudobin is ticketed for the minor leagues once again.
  • Zack Ostapchuk, the 39th overall pick in 2021, is out a few weeks for the Ottawa Senators and will be sent back to junior after he’s healthy enough according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. That ends any possibility that he could make the team out of camp after his outstanding playoff run for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. The 19-year-old is not yet eligible for the AHL and instead will go back and try to carry over that postseason success for an entire year.

Atlantic Notes: Fabbri, Mrazek, Harrison, Weber

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Red Wings winger Robby Fabbri is unsure if he’ll be able to return from his torn ACL in time for next season, relays Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.  The 26-year-old underwent surgery in late March and recently was able to shed his crutches in April but as he knows from experience, it’s at least six months before he’ll have a chance at playing again.  This was the third ACL surgery of Fabbri’s career but the first on his right knee.  He will be entering the first season of a three-year, $12MM deal next season on the heels of a pretty good regular season aside from the injury as he had 17 goals and 13 assists in 56 games with Detroit last season.

More from the Atlantic:

  • The Maple Leafs have activated goaltender Petr Mrazek off LTIR, CapFriendly reports (Twitter link). Mrazek suffered a groin injury in late March which pressed Erik Kallgren into duty with Jack Campbell still injured at the time.  While he didn’t dress in the second game of their series against Tampa Bay, his return to health will at least give them some extra depth between the pipes.  Mrazek had a 3.34 GAA and a .888 SV% in 20 games this season, his first with Toronto.
  • The Bruins have signed prospect center Brett Harrison to an ATO, reports Mark Divver of the Providence Journal (Twitter link). The 18-year-old was recently eliminated in the OHL playoffs, paving the way for him to play in the minors with Providence in their playoff run.  Harrison was a third-round pick of Boston last year (85th overall) and he had a strong season with OHL Oshawa, notching 27 goals and 34 assists in 65 games with the Generals.
  • In an interview with TSN 690 (audio link), TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that an insurance issue prevented the Canadiens from moving Shea Weber’s contract to Arizona at the trade deadline. He cited there was some extra paperwork that had to be completed plus a payout; with so many moving parts in the hours leading up to the deadline, they basically ran out of time.  Dreger added that he believes a Weber trade will be able to be done this summer.  He has four years left on his deal with a $7.857MM AAV but just $6MM total in remaining salary over that span.

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