NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Dante Fabbro

Get to Know Dante Fabbro

Date of Birth: June 20, 1998 (18)
Place of Birth: New Westminster, BC
Ht: 6’0” Wt: 190 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Defense
Team: Penticton Vees
Committed to Boston University Terriers

Statistics

What Scouts See

Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects

Dante Fabbro is a dependable two-way defenseman with high offensive upside. He plays with poise and makes mature, high-percentage decisions under pressure. In his own end, he is proactive with both his body and stick, and does everything right to interrupt passing lanes and win back possession. With the puck on his stick, he is mobile at an elite level and can direct plays like a quarterback. He possesses a hard and accurate release on his shot, that he gets off quickly and on-net. All-in-all, a complete defenseman that plays a refined game at both ends of the ice.

Future Considerations

He is very steady and calculated in his decision-making. He doesn’t throw the puck away and he has ice water in his veins. I see Fabbro as a very safe pick; he is going to be an NHL player. However, I don’t know if I ever see him becoming an all-star or even a team’s top-pairing guy.

What BSN Avalanche sees

Like his teammate Tyson Jost, Dante Fabbro’s greatest asset as an NHL prospect is his high hockey IQ. Fabbro is calm, cool, and collected in all three zones and plays with a great combination of patience and anticipation. You’ll rarely see Fabbro force a risky play or pass, instead opting to wait or use his feet in order to open up better passing and shooting lanes. He fires consistent tape to tape passes even when he’s under a heavy forecheck, and while he doesn’t have the greatest shot, he does a good job of getting it through traffic and on net consistently.

Defensively Fabbro is safe and consistent. He doesn’t run around and dominate physically or lay huge hits, but he’s very difficult to beat 1-on-1 or on the boards because he’s willing and able to close gaps, square up, and lean on opponents. Once he’s closed the gap on an opponent he uses an effective combination of physical play and stickwork to separate opponents from the puck and move up ice. According to Future Considerations, at least 1 GM views him as capable of playing in the NHL next year. While that certainly sounds like a stretch, especially for someone coming from a weaker development league in the BCHL, it speaks to the impressive shift-to-shift consistency and maturity that we see in his game.

NHL Potential

Dante Fabbro doesn’t have the same ceiling as the Top 3 defensemen in this draft, but he has a high enough floor to justify an early selection in the 2016 NHL Draft. Fabbro is a very safe bet to make the NHL, but likely tops out as a 2nd pairing defenseman.

Expected Draft Position

Fabbro is among the “2nd tier” of first round picks in this year’s draft, and will likely come off the draft board in the first 20 selections.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

Considering the Avalanche’s shortage of forward prospects, it seems implausible that the team would reach for a defenseman like Fabbro instead of taking one of the quality forwards available at 10th overall. It might make sense for the Avalanche to snag one of the draft’s top defensemen because of their sky high potential, but unless they trade back from 10th overall, Fabbro isn’t a good fit.