Dante Fabbro isn’t going anywhere. The 27-year-old defenseman has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets worth an average annual value of $4.125 million, according to NHL insider Darren Dreger.
Fabbro, originally drafted 17th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2016, found new life in Columbus after being claimed off waivers in November 2024. Since then, he’s become a reliable presence on the Blue Jackets’ blue line, tallying 9 goals and 26 points over 62 games while logging 21:39 of ice time per night, the third-highest on the team.
This extension locks up a key piece of Columbus’ defensive core as the team continues its push toward playoff contention. Fabbro brings strong two-way ability, decent size at 6 feet and 189 pounds, and the kind of experience and composure that is hard to find on the open market. Given Columbus’ historical struggles to attract top free agents, retaining Fabbro ahead of free agency is a major win.
The Blue Jackets still have over $28.5 million in cap space available. While a portion of that will likely be allocated toward future restricted free agents like Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger, the flexibility opens doors for Columbus to add another top-six forward this offseason.
After narrowly missing the postseason by just two points last year, the Blue Jackets are positioned to make a serious run in 2025-26. With Fabbro locked in, they’ve taken a solid step toward ending their playoff drought.
