Veteran forward Robby Fabbri is on the move, with the Anaheim Ducks acquiring him from the Detroit Red Wings via a trade, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic. The trade also indicates that the Red Wings are getting a conditional pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft and goalie Gage Alexander.
“The #NHLDucks acquire Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick from the #redwings for Gage Alexander.”
Fabbri is coming off a bounce-back campaign in his last season with the Red Wings. After playing in only 28 games and scoring seven goals with nine assists in 2022-23, he found the back of the net 18 times and gathered 14 assists for 32 points in the 2023-24 season. With Fabbri, the Ducks are getting an experienced attacker to shore up their depth and someone who doesn't require a long-term commitment. Fabbri is entering the final season of the three-year, $12 million contract extension he inked with the Red Wings back in 2021. He joined the Red Wings in 2019 after the St. Louis Blues sent him to Motor City in exchange for forward Jacob De La Rose.
For the Red Wings, the move to trade Fabbri clears them $4 million of cap space, which is helpful since Detroit has just agreed to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million with Vladimir Tarasenko. Detroit's front office has been busy of late. Prior to Fabbri's trade and the Tarasenko deal, the Red Wings made sure to keep Patrick Kane in the fold by signing him to a one-year, $4 million contract.
Alexander goes from the Ducks organization to the Red Wings still looking for an opportunity to play in his first game in the NHL since being selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft by Anaheim. Last season, he suited up for the Tulsa Oilers in the ECHL and put together a 5-8-2 record to go along with a 3.76 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage.
Fabbri's addition isn't the home run yet that the Ducks are looking to make in the offseason, but he should be able to see opportunities to make an impact on the ice for Anaheim.
The 28-year-old native of Mississauga, Ontario, who won a Stanley Cup in 2019 with the Blues, will be looking to help a Ducks squad that has not been to the Stanley Cup Playoffs since they struck out of the first round of the postseason in 2018.
Anaheim hasn't also won more than 30 games in any of the last five seasons, including the last campaign where the Ducks went just 27-50-5 for 59 points and finished third-worst overall in the National Hockey League with just an average of 2.48 goals per contest. They have collected just 117 points in the standings over the last two seasons.
NHL fans react on social media to the Ducks-Red Wings trade
Fans have a lot to say about the trade that the Ducks announced on social media.
“Would rather this guy over Kane and [Tarasenko] senko”
“In Verbeek we trust. Two solid trades after a disappointing FA.”
“We're gonna miss ya, Fabs. Ducks picked up a real cool dude”
“You should trade Vatrano to the Canucks 🤷♂️”
“Good luck Fabs! We will miss you in Hockeytown”
“Decent deal. If he can stay healthy snd have some decent production, he cna be flipped for assets at the deadline.”
“Fabbri was good for us and will be missed but was a cap casualty and often injured. Nice pickup by verbeek.”
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