Is Dante Fabbro Worth the Waivers Risk for the Oilers?

The Edmonton Oilers’ ongoing search for defensive depth has been presented with an intriguing option this weekend: Nashville Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro. When news broke that Fabbro had been placed on waivers, Oilers Nation host Tyler Yaremchuk posed a question: Is claiming Fabbro worth going into long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to make it happen?

Related: Nashville Predators Place D-Man Dante Fabbro on Waivers

Is claiming Fabbro worth going into LTIR for?

Wouldn’t be able to accrue cap space and once Kane is back, you wouldn’t be cap compliant.

I think yes.

— Tyler Yaremchuk (@tyleryaremchuk) November 9, 2024

Yaremchuk made the case, despite the potential cap issues, noting, “I think yes.” His question centered on whether Edmonton should risk losing the ability to accrue cap space and face compliance challenges once Evander Kane returns from injury.

Oilers Have to Make the Playoffs First

Fans weighed in, and a strong majority seemed to agree with Yaremchuk. The main argument was that accumulating cap space wouldn’t mean anything if the Oilers weren’t headed for the postseason. As one fan put it, “Accruing cap space doesn’t matter if we miss the playoffs. The Oilers have yet to touch a playoff spot this season.”

For those looking at the Oilers’ current defensive structure, the appeal of adding Fabbro is obvious. With bottom-pair options like Travis Dermott, Ty Emberson, and Troy Stecher not providing the needed stability, Fabbro could be a key upgrade. While Fabbro seems to be on the outs in Nashville, one fan went so far as to argue, “Ryan, Stecher, and Dermott make your team worse, while adding Fabbro vastly improves it.”

The Cap Challenges for the Oilers Make Adding Fabbro a Tough Decision

Statistically, Fabbro is a good fit for Edmonton despite his struggles for playing time in Nashville. The 26-year-old right-handed defenseman, who carries a $2.5 million cap hit and will become a UFA at the end of the season, has excelled in tough deployments. Even with limited ice time, he’s managed to stay effective at five-on-five play, making his placement on waivers surprising to many analysts. It’s unclear why the Predators have given up on Fabbro as he’s been one of their better defensemen, even when playing the hardest assignments.

Golden Era Hockey added more praise, noting, “Fabbro would be an unbelievable waiver add for the Oilers. Retrievals, exits, and entry defense are his biggest strengths. It’s like he was made in a lab to play with [Darnell] Nurse.” Imagining a revamped blue line, they suggested pairing Nurse with Fabbro, while keeping Mattias Ekholm alongside Evan Bouchard. Brett Kulak could play with Ty Emberson or Troy Stecher.

His $2.5 million contract is hard to manage without sending players down. “If my math is correct, we could send Travis Dermott and Derek Ryan down to be cap-compliant when Evander Kane returns,” one fan argued. “I’d say it’s worth it.”

Still, Fabbro’s cap hit could become an issue if the Oilers fail to make moves to work out salaries and not accruing cap space could come back to haunt the team at the trade deadline. Putting in a claim is a low-risk, potentially high-reward scenario for a team that needs defensive support now. “Make the move and figure it out later,” one supporter urged. But, if the Oilers land the player, are they prepared to take a risk on someone who the Predators don’t think is better than some of their aging veterans?

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