"For myself, it was a big learning curve for me," Fabbro said of his first year playing NCAA hockey. "Just being able to make that next step, hopefully to the National Hockey League one day, was good for me. I was able to work out lots, practice lots and the games were fast.
"Maybe my first year I was a little hesitant on doing things out there, but I'm ready to take on that role and be that offensive guy for our team."
That'll be music to the ears of Boston University fans, and potentially Preds fans in the not-so-distant future. Fabbro wants nothing more than to play in Nashville one day, and not just because he grew up a Preds fan to begin with.
His sisters, Gina and Sophia, have ties to the area, going to school and playing soccer for Austin Peay State University. Sophia is set to enter her senior season, and Gina, who recently graduated, works as a nurse in Nashville and Dante expects his older sister to be in attendance at Friday's Young Stars Game at Bridgestone Arena.
"It's definitely nice; they know the lay of the land a lot better than I do," Fabbro said of his family ties to Middle Tennessee. "It'll be good to see [Gina] and reconnect that way. [Nashville] is kind of a home away from home with my sisters, and I'm definitely trying to [play here] one day."
If it happens, he will have likely learned a thing or two from those currently patrolling the blue line for the Preds. Fabbro says he was of course tuned in to Nashville's postseason run, particularly focused on the play of the top four of Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm.
"I want to be myself and grow and develop as my own kind of player, but I think the biggest thing for me was taking bits and parts of the Nashville D corps," Fabbro said. "They're the top D in the League and I'm kind of implementing [those elements] into my game. But you have to grow as a player and that's what I'm doing in college right now. Hopefully I'll be able to make that step [to Nashville] in the next couple of years."