Blue Jackets Activate Dante Fabbro

According to a team announcement, the Columbus Blue Jackets activated defenseman Dante Fabbro from the injured reserve. Columbus had an open roster spot, so they didn’t need to make a corresponding roster move.

Fabbro, 28, has been recovering from a broken hand suffered in preseason. The right-handed blueliner will return after missing the first four weeks of the regular season and the Blue Jackets’ first nine games of the 2026-27 campaign.

Based on line rushes from practice, Fabbro will play on Columbus’ bottom pairing next to Erik Gudbranson. Fabbro will begin his ninth NHL season and second full season with the Blue Jackets. Columbus claimed Fabbro off waivers from the Nashville Predators around this time a few years ago.

The early stages of his tenure with the Blue Jackets were promising. Fabbro typically played with Zach Werenski, allowing him to score nine goals and 26 points in 62 games with a +23 rating, averaging 21:39 of ice time per game. He also earned a 91.7% on-ice SV% at even strength, one of his career-best marks.

Given his chemistry with Werenski, Columbus quickly signed Fabbro to a four-year, $16.5MM ($4.125MM AAV) extension. Unfortunately, he didn’t play as well last season. Fabbro finished the 2025-26 campaign with five goals and 11 points in 74 games with a -16 rating, averaging 16:34 of ice time per game. He continued to block shots at a high rate, but nearly every offensive and defensive metric fell.

Regardless, the Blue Jackets continue to inch toward a healthy defensive corps. After activating Fabbro, defenseman Ivan Provorov is the only defenseman left on the injured reserve as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury.