Two-time Stanley Cup champ out four to six weeks with lower-body injury

The Nashville Predators have announced that defenseman Luke Schenn will be out long-term after sustaining a lower-body injury. Schenn has been out of action since the team’s season opener. He played 15 minutes in the inaugural game, recording four hits, a blocked shot and no points.

The source of Schenn’s injury hasn’t been narrowed down, but it will hold him out until closer to December. The Predators signed Schenn to a three-year, $8.25M contract this summer, carrying an annual cap hit of $2.75M. 

Schenn earned the deal after a strong 2022-23 season, split between the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs. He played 70 games, netting four goals and 22 points. But it was his extra stats that stood out, with the defender recording 318 hits and 81 blocked shots throughout the year. His postseason earned a lot of attention as well, with Schenn showing out as a stalwart defender and a major piece of the Leafs first-round series win. He added 54 hits in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games, the second-most hits-per-game of the postseason.

Dante Fabbro has slotted into the Predators lineup in place of Schenn. Fabbro appeared in 79 games for the Predators last season, recording 11 points and 50 penalty minutes. This was a step down in scoring from Fabbro’s 2021-22 campaign, where he netted 24 points in 66 games. The 25-year-old defender has tallied a total of 256 games and 59 points through his career as he enters his sixth year of NHL experience.

The Predators are 1-3-0 to start the season, allowing an average of 3.5 goals-against. If and how they are able to reduce that number, despite being down their latest blue line signing, should be telling for the club.