1. Tyson Barrie Finds a New Team & Dante Fabbro Becomes Regular Starter Again
This gift is for both sides, but Tyson Barrie deserves a new slate somewhere else. He has a lot to give for a team that needs him, but that team isn't the Predators who have a plethora of NHL worthy defenseman who need playing time.
Barrie is taking away starts from Dante Fabrro, who was healthy scratched in the loss to the Stars and has missed nine of the Predators' 34 games. Barrie has missed only four.
I'm sure Barrie wants to get this behind him and find a playoff contending team. It can't be easy hanging over your head playing for a team that's almost certainly not in your long-term, or even short-term future.
As for Fabbro, he's the third-best defenseman the Predators have in my humble opinion, only behind Roman Josi and Ryan McDonagh. It's a travesty that he's getting the healthy scratches when he's actually the player that has a much higher chance of benefiting your push for the postseason and beyond in 2024.
This is a great point. We're also so surprised why Dante Fabbro from the Nashville Predators was only a healthy scratch in some games already. Fabbro is, without a doubt, better defenseman than Luke Schenn, Jeremy Lauzon or Tyson Barrie. https://t.co/dIEhXX0uvv pic.twitter.com/SV6uarFwxk
— Andy & Rono (@ARHockeyStats) December 21, 2023
I realize it's hard to bench Barrie when you're trying to trade him, and that's the conundrum we find ourselves in. Barry Trotz might have to cave a little and take what he can get for Barrie just to move on.
So my Christmas wish list for Barrie is to find a new team that needs him, and for Fabbro to get back to being a regular starter, preferably on Josi's top pairing.