New York Islanders should take a flyer on this former first-round pick

The New York Islanders should take a flyer on former first-round pick Dante Fabbro. Fabbro, drafted 17th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2016, was placed on waivers on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Fabbro has appeared in six games this season, failing to register a point thus far. With the Predators seemingly fading in the playoff race, a fire sale could be on the horizon. As such, Fabbro could be a low-risk, high-reward proposition for the Isles.

In particular, the Isles could use extra hands on deck as the defense corps has taken a pounding. Currently, Alexander Romanov, Adam Pelech, and Mike Rielly are out with injuries. The Isles have tried various players as fill-ins including Grant Hutton, Dennis Cholowski, Samuel Bolduc, and most recently, Isaiah George.

While George has emerged as somewhat of a revelation, there’s no denying the New York Islanders need all the help they can get. As such, Fabbro could be a solid addition, allowing Patrick Roy to test various options and provide depth.

At worst, Fabbro could be a decent addition to the Bridgeport Islanders. The AHL Islanders are currently among the worst teams in the league with a 2-7-2 mark. Adding Fabbro could pay dividends by giving him a fresh start as he makes his way back up to the NHL.

Unfortunately, there’s a downside to adding Fabbro that the Islanders cannot afford to miss.

Dante Fabbro’s cap hit may be too rich for the New York Islanders

Fabbro signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal prior to the start of this season. The contract was meant to be a show-me deal intended for Fabbro to prove he’s worthy of a long-term contract.

This situation could make it challenging for the Isles to fit Fabbro under the cap. While the Islanders have cap space now due to the number of players on IR, the Isles could find themselves in a bind when the roster is fully healthy.

PuckPedia reports the New York Islanders are nearly $3 million over the cap. However, the club was $12 million placed on LTIR, effectively allowing the club to spend about another $9 million. That’s plenty of cap space. However, that cap space would evaporate once everyone comes back from injury.

Despite the impending cap crunch, the Isles lose nothing in getting Fabbro. The Preds have essentially given up on Fabbro by waiving him. Plus, his one-year deal is not a terrible commitment to make. If the Isles don’t claim him off waivers, they could surely get Fabbro for future considerations.

With Lou Lamoriello loving the bargain bin, Fabbro could be one of the best low-cost options the Isles could consider.