The Detroit Red Wings extended forward Robby Fabbri on Monday per a tweet from the team’s official account:
UPDATE: The Detroit #RedWings today signed center Robby Fabbri to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4 million. pic.twitter.com/s4p9O9XuCr
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 14, 2021
Fabbri has seen an uptick of ice time in the last few weeks due to Tyler Bertuzzi’s stint on the Covid Protocol list and has three goals in his last three games. Fabbri, acquired form St. Louis for Jacob de La Rose, was one of Steve Yzerman’s first heists and has been a key piece in turning things around for a team in the midst of a rebuild.
Fabbri Has Been Very Good with the Red Wings
This season, Fabbri has eight goals and 14 points in 28 games, and has been one of the few Red Wings as of late to consistently get on the scoresheet. In 110 games with Detroit, Fabbri has 63 points (32-31) and has already matched his goal output from his time in St. Louis–in 54 less games.
Last season, Fabbri stepped up during the shortened season where the Red Wings failed to find much cohesion as either Covid or injuries slowed their progress. Fabbri spent the first couple of weeks on Covid protocol but was able to tally 10 goals which included a hat trick against Dallas. But his season ended early with an upper body injury that kept him out from early April to the end of the season last May.
Fabbri and Red Wings Strike a Fair Deal
Once again, Yzerman strikes when anyone least expects it, keeping in line with his shorter term, financial savvy deals that retains Fabbri for another three seasons. The raise is just a whisker over a million dollars per year, with Fabbri’s AAV rising from $2.95M to now $4M.
Alex wrote about how this was a “show-me” year for Fabbri, and it looks like he’s done just that. From Alex:
"Being a contract year, Fabbri will have to continue his hot streak with Detroit if he wants a good contract proposal from Yzerman.This season could finally be Fabbri’s chance to show that he deserves a roster spot when the Red Wings are a playoff team. It’s a prove it year for him, but that hasn’t bothered him in the past."
Indeed, Fabbri has shown Yzerman exactly what he wanted to see–and is rewarded with a fresh three deal and a nice raise to go with it.