Fabbri latest RFA to sign contract

Forward inks one-year, $900,000 deal after returning from two torn left 

ACL's, joins Blais, Sanford as signed players; Blues trade for forward

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The Blues are slowly working out deals for their plethora of restricted free agents, and Robby Fabbri's one-year, $900,000 is the third signing since July 1.

Robby Fabbri

Fabbri's contract was announced Friday afternoon, and he joins Zach Sanford (two years, $1.5 million AAV in avoiding arbitration) and Sammy Blais (one year, $850,000).

The Blues are left to sign forwards Ivan Barbashev and Oskar Sundqvist, defenseman Joel Edmundson and goalie Jordan Binnington among their regulars. Binnington (July 20), Sundqvist (July 24) and Edmundson (Aug. 4) all have arbitration hearing dates scheduled should should the Blues and the respective players not come to an agreement by their dates. Goalie Ville Husso (team-elected arbitration on July 22) and defenseman Mitch Reinke are also RFA's.

Fabbri, 23, is coming off a challenging season, frequently being a healthy scratch for long stretches of the season, after missing all of 2017-18 and the final 31 games of the previous season stemming from two torn ACL's in his left knee. Fabbri initially injured his knee Feb. 4, 2017 against Pittsburgh and re-injured the same knee during training camp despite playing in one preseason game at Washington before the 2017-18 season. Both injuries required surgery.

In 32 regular-season games last season, Fabbri had just two goals and four assists, and in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he scored a goal in 10 games (Game 1 against the Dallas Stars in the second round) to help the Blues to their first championship in franchise history.

In 155 NHL games, Fabbri, who is coming off a one-year contract that paid him $925,000, has 72 points (31 goals, 41 assists) spanning three seasons; he has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 30 playoff games.

* Blues acquire forward -- The Blues also announced they've acquired forward Dakota Joshua from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for future considerations, and Joshua has signed a two-year, entry-level contract.

“Dakota has had an outstanding college career and we are excited to be adding him to our team,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said in a statement.


Joshua, 23, has spent the past four seasons at Ohio State University. Last season, Joshua had 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 32 regular-season games helping the Buckeyes win the Big 10 regular season championship. 

Listed as 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, the Dearborn, Michigan, native had 100 points (41 goals, 59 assists) in 128 regular-season collegiate games.

Joshua was originally drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Draft.