McDavid and Fabbri share path to NHL

Wednesday October 14, 2015

By Josh Sweetland/OHL

Having gone head-to-head since the age of 9, there’s little unfamiliarity between Connor McDavid and Robby Fabbri once the puck drops.

The two standout players have skated a path of ups and downs, one that culminated in a special night last Thursday when the two shared their NHL debut at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Fabbri’s Blues took the game by a score of 3-1 over McDavid’s Oilers with the Guelph Storm grad netting his first NHL goal, the game winner off a centering feed from linemate Jori Lehtera. McDavid had a couple of high grade scoring chances of his own in the game before netting his first NHL goal in a loss to Dallas on Tuesday.

“We’ve played against each other for a long time, so to play our first NHL game together is pretty special,” McDavid told the Edmonton Sun’s Robert Tychkowski following the season opener.

Fabbri was equally nostalgic.

“Pretty fun,” said the Guelph Storm graduate. “We were texting about it and it’s a special moment to share together.”

The McDavid-Fabbri journey began in minor hockey, taking the two all the way to the 2012 OHL Cup Final where Fabbri’s Mississauga Rebels skated away with the title and McDavid was awarded OHL Cup MVP honours after recording an astonishing 19 points (11-8–19) in seven games, a record that still stands today.

After McDavid won OHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2013, the two stars clashed a year later in the 2014 Western Conference Finals. Once again, Fabbri’s club prevailed with the eventual OHL Champion Guelph Storm ousting McDavid’s Otters in five games. Fabbri had four goals and five assists in the series while McDavid recorded five helpers of his own.

Fabbri would be recognized as the MVP of the 2014 OHL Playoffs, being awarded the Wayne Gretzky ’99’ Award after recording 13 goals, 15 assists and 28 points in just 16 games, with 10 of those points coming in Guelph’s championship series triumph over the North Bay Battalion.

McDavid and Fabbri would get a break from the grind of competing against each and join forces in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in December, winning gold together in Toronto. McDavid led the event in assists and was named to the tournament all-star team while Fabbri recorded six points (2-4–6) in five games before suffering a high ankle sprain that sidelined him the rest of the way.

The 2015 Playoffs would be McDavid’s time to shine. After producing at a clip of 2.55 points-per-game throughout the regular season with 120 points (44-76–120) in 47 contests, the Newmarket native would lead the Otters to the OHL Championship Series, defeating the Soo Greyhounds in a grueling six game clash in the Western Conference Finals. Despite his best efforts, the Otters were eliminated by the eventual MasterCard Memorial Cup Champion Oshawa Generals in five games, with McDavid receiving the ’99’ Award as OHL Playoff MVP. His 49 points (21-28–49) in 20 games were just two points shy of tying an OHL Playoff record.

Two players, each with numerous achievements accumulated throughout their young careers have taken the next step together. Both will undoubtedly be cornerstones for their respective franchises for many years to come.