The Chicago Blackhawks did not make a ton of noise in NHL Free Agency. In fact, most of their work this summer has come on the trade market. They acquired forward Sam Lafferty from the Buffalo Sabres. And they swung a trade for Andre Burakovsky in a deal with the Seattle Kraken.
Both of these moves give Chicago one important thing: depth. Lafferty is a bottom-six forward who is quite familiar with Chicago. In fact, this is his third time landing with Chicago. He played 97 games for the team between 2021-22 and 2022-23. He was then reacquired before the 2024-25 season, but was allowed to hit NHL Free Agency last summer, where he joined the Buffalo Sabres.
Meanwhile, Burakovsky is a bit of a reclamation project. He was a solid middle-six scorer, scoring 61 goals and 150 points in 191 games with the Colorado Avalanche. However, he struggled with the Kraken, and now has to rebuild his value in Chicago.
All this said, the Blackhawks could stand to add additional depth. Chicago could use another option to eat minutes in the bottom-six and score the occasional goal or two. Thankfully, there is an intriguing free agent out there who could fill this need.
Former Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks forward Robby Fabbri remains unsigned. His impact in Anaheim was nothing special, unfortunately. However, he showed promise with the Red Wings at times. And the Blackhawks would be wise to give him a shot with their organization.
Robby Fabbri is Effective When Healthy
Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesRobby Fabbri could provide depth for the Chicago Blackhawks this upcoming season.
Fabbri spent the 2024-25 campaign in Orange County after a trade from Detroit last summer. Unfortunately, he didn’t move the needle much. He scored eight goals and 16 points in 44 games for the Ducks this past season.
When healthy, Fabbri has shown that he can be a secondary scorer. He has scored 15+ goals four times in his career. Moreover, he scored 30+ points in each of those seasons.
However, that paragraph’s operative phrase is “when healthy.” The former first-round pick of the St. Louis Blues has struggled with injury throughout his career. But in each of his 15+ goal, 30+ point seasons, he played 50 or more games.
Fabbri’s injury history means that he will likely be a league minimum signing at best. He may even need to wait for a professional tryout offer. In any case, he is a low-risk option the Blackhawks should explore.
Fabbri Has Connection With Blackhawks Coach
One major reason that Fabbri could fit in Chicago is their new coach. The Blackhawks hired Jeff Blashill has the new bench boss this summer. Blashill spent seven seasons behind the Red Wings bench. And he crossed paths with Fabbri during that time.
Fabbri played 116 games under Blashill’s watch. During this time, he scored 41 goals and 79 points. Over the course of a full 82 games, this is a 28-goal, 56-point pace.
Of course, Fabbri’s health is the key factor here. But the veteran forward produced while playing for Blashill in Detroit. It’s a worthwhile shot for Chicago to see if their new coach can work the same magic with him in a Blackhawks uniform.
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