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Red Wings: Robby Fabbri trade pays dividends in win over Bruins

By Dave Stevenson

DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 08: Robby Fabbri #14 of the Detroit Red Wings pounds gloves with teammate Jimmy Howard #35 on the bench following his first goal as a Wing during the first period of an NHL game against the Boston Bruins at Little Caesars Arena on November 8, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 08: Robby Fabbri #14 of the Detroit Red Wings pounds gloves with teammate Jimmy Howard #35 on the bench following his first goal as a Wing during the first period of an NHL game against the Boston Bruins at Little Caesars Arena on November 8, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Robby Fabbri trade paid off immediately for the Detroit Red Wings, as he picked up two goals in a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins.

So far, the Detroit Red Wings have been aggressive in the trade market under general manager Steve Yzerman. On Wednesday, he traded forward Jacob De La Rose to the St. Louis Blues for Robby Fabbri. It was a trade of two forwards who needed a change in scenery. On Friday, Robby Fabbri showed why the Wings took a chance on him, as he scored two goals in a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins.

He was reunited with his former junior teammate Tyler Bertuzzi. The two played together with the Guelph Storm. Bertuzzi got the primary assist on both of Fabbri’s goals on Friday night. Maybe the change in scenery will benefit both players. After all, they’ve had quite a bit of success together.

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Fabbri was happy to reconnect with Bertuzzi. “It brings back old memories,” said Fabbri, via MLive.com. “It was good to be back with [Bertuzzi].” The feeling was mutual. “I think all the guys are happy to have [Fabbri],” Bertuzzi said. “He has a good shot, he works hard, and he fits in well.”

The Wings knew they were getting an offensively gifted player. Fabbri proved what he could do against the Bruins. From Nov, 24 2018 to Nov. 8, 2019, he had just two goals with the Blues. He equaled that total in his first two periods with the Red Wings.

Detroit’s first two trades under Yzerman netted them Adam Erne from the Tampa Bay Lightning and Brendan Perlini from the Chicago Blackhawks. With the addition of Fabri, it’s clear the Wings are targetting young, but proven, NHL forwards who need a change in scenery.

In 16 combined games, Erne and Perlini have yet to get on the scoresheet. But it didn’t take long for Fabbri to make the Wings look smart.

Fabbri fell out of favor in St. Louis for a variety of reasons. Their impressive forward depth certainly didn’t do him any favors. Nor did his slow start, with just one goal in his first nine games.

However, the biggest reason Fabbri didn’t pan out with the Blues was likely because of injuries. He tore his left ACL in February of 2017. Fabbri was expected to return for the 2017-18 season, but he re-injured his left knee. He helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup, scoring a goal in 10 games during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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In other news, Jonathan Bernier joined a fascinating fraternity on Friday night. He picked up two assists against the Bruins. It’s just the 36th time in history a goalie has picked up at least two assists in a single game. It was last accomplished by Tuukka Rask, ironically of the Bruins, in 2016.

Bernier is the fifth active goaltender to pull off the feat, joining Ben Bishop, Ryan Miller, Rask, and Cory Schneider. KHL goaltender Antti Niemi has also pulled off the feat. Bernier’s also the first goalie in Red Wings history to pick up multiple assists in a game.

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