2016 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Dante Fabbro

2016 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: BCHL Defenseman Dante Fabbro

Dante Fabbro will be hoping to see himself taken in the first round of the NHL Draft. Photo by: Garrett James Photography

Dante Fabbro is a skilled two-way defenseman hoping to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft Photo by: Garrett James Photography /

The BCHL isn’t the most reliable source for future NHLers, but this year there are two prospects coming from the BCHL making a strong case to be solid players in Tyson Jost and Dante Fabbro.

As the offseason has carried on the focus has shifted towards Jost, leaving Fabbro by the wayside.

There is an abundance of two-way defensemen in this upcoming draft and Penticton Vees defenseman Dante Fabbro is a member of that group. The former Seattle Thunderbirds first round pick has more of an offensive upside as he likes to dish the puck around on the attack and his defensive skills will need to be developed more.

"“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.” –Elite Prospects"

The base is set for his play in his own end but as mentioned previously, he will need to work on his gap control and physical play when in his own end. As for his offensive game, Fabbro has already become a talented pupil on the blueline.

His numbers in the BCHL for a defenseman are absolutely crazy. 100 points in 91 games played in only two seasons. 82 assists are very impressive for a defenseman no matter what league it occurred in.

The New Westminster, British Columbia native was awarded First Team All-Star honors this year, as well as a gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka. He was with Canada’s U18 team for the World Junior Championship where he was fantastic.

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He was with Canada’s U18 team for the World Junior Championship where he was fantastic. Arguably the best player in the tournament, Fabbro was a playmaking machine dishing out eight assists.

Now obviously Fabbro won’t beat out the top-tier of defensemen in the 2016 NHL Draft, but he should still be held in the same regard as fellow BCHLer Tyson Jost.

Jost had a spectacular BCHL Playoffs this year, being a huge factor in the outcome of the game, but Fabbro was right there with him in showcasing skill and intelligence on the ice. Jost was great at the U18 World Juniors and many argued that he was the outright best player in the tournament. However, Fabbro’s passing and strong transition game were overlooked.

Both Fabbro and Jost will be playing college hockey next season, which is the perfect scenario for Fabbro, who will need to build his frame. Jost will be joining North Dakota and Fabbro will be joining a promising Boston University club.

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Fabbro will be on a squad with fellow 2016 NHL Draft prospects Clayton Keller, Chad Krys, and Charlie McAvoy who join an already consistent team. Fabbro will be able to develop his skills and bulk up while he learns to handle himself on a team that is expected to win given the players they have accumulated.

The Stanley Cup has been awarded and the draft is right around the corner. Dante Fabbro should go in the first round and whichever team selects him will be happy with the point producing two-way defenseman they receive.

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