Detroit Red Wings: Robby Fabbri will anchor second line with Filip Zadina

The Detroit Red Wings should let Robby Fabbri anchor the team’s second line with youngster Filip Zadina.

As the Detroit Red Wings continue to prep for their first contest against the Carolina Hurricanes to kick off the 2020-21 season, they will have to start thinking about line combinations. The organization has plenty of things they can do; it will be about putting the right fits together for the most part.

The top six and bottom six are very different, and the top six should not really be broken up. That being said, Robby Fabbri is going to come into his own during this second season, continuing to find success as he did in 2019-20.

He is arguably the best trade acquisition that General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman has made so far in Hockeytown. After signing a contract extension with Yzerman and the Red Wings this offseason, Fabbri will prove he belongs. He can do so by anchoring the second line.

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So far, Fabbri has been a source of offense and someone who is a versatile forward. He has been trying his hand at center more often, playing center during the Red Wings three Team Red versus Team White scrimmages that have been going on to close out training camp.

If the Red Wings want him to be “the guy” on the second line, then letting Fabbri be the center and proving he can fit that role will be perfect.

In 2019-20, Fabbri would play 61 games total (52 for the Red Wings), where he would score 15 goals and add 17 assists for 32 points on the season.

Only one of those goals came during his brief nine-game stint with the St. Louis Blues from last year before being traded.

With a fresh city, new team, and new beginning, Fabbri excelled greatly. Frankly, it is like he turned things around and never looked back.

Beyond Robby Fabbri proving he deserves his chance, where does Detroit Red Wings prospect Filip Zadina come into the picture?

If the Detroit Red Wings wanted to test out their prospect, Filip Zadina, now is a good a time as ever. He will make the opening night roster; the question is where Zadina is going to play when the line charts are released.

The best place for Zadina in terms of development and pressure (or lack thereof) is the second line. Letting Fabbri play center with Zadina playing left wing would be best; throwing Bobby Ryan on the other wing makes it an even more intriguing combination, one the Red Wings have to test out.

In 2019-20, Zadina played 28 games with the organization where he would score eight goals and add seven assists for 15 total points. He is poised to show that he can provide offense and be the prospect the Red Wings drafted him to be.

Zadina on the wing with Fabbri would be a good combination. Zadina can be the sniper who scores and finds ways to create good scoring chances and opportunities for shots. Fabbri can score but also aid in setting up Zadina. Ryan’s veteran presence only adds to the success of this line.

Now, this is the same Red Wings, a team who finished dead last during the 2019-20 season, so any progress is a big step forward. Putting these three forwards together would be a combination that produces goals and overall helps the organization be better than it has in recent years.

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If Detroit Red Wings Head Coach has any sense as well, the opening night line chart will have Robby Fabbri, Bobby Ryan, and Filip Zadina playing together on the team’s second line.

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