It hasn’t been an easy few seasons for Montreal Canadiens center Kirby Dach.
After a decent rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019-20, Dach has struggled to stay healthy from year to year. Dach has yet to play in more than 70 games in a single campaign, and last year, he appeared in only two regular-season games before being sidelined for the season by a knee injury.
That said, the 23-year-old Dach said he’s no longer burdened by health woes and is ready to contribute to the Canadiens’ cause this coming season.
“It was a long year last year,” Dach told reporters Monday during the Canadiens’ annual golf tournament before pronouncing himself 100 percent good to go this season. “I feel good health-wise, body-wise. It felt like I was ready to play games at the end of last year, even if I wasn’t really medically cleared to.”
Kirby Dach says he feels 100%.
“I felt like I was ready to play games at the end of last year.”
When discussing lineup, Dach shares his preference is centre, but will play wherever needed. #Habs pic.twitter.com/97X1ImesVF
— Kenzie Lalonde (@KenzieTSN) September 16, 2024
Dach and Habs management hope he has a breakout season this coming year. If he can stay in the lineup and take advantage of playing on one of Montreal’s top two forward lines, Dach could easily set new career highs on offense this season.
His current single-season highs are 14 goals and 38 points in 58 games, coming from his first season with the Canadiens in 2022-23.
Dach spent much of that 2022-23 season playing on the left wing with Montreal stars Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, according to moneypuck.com. Last season, however, Juraj Slafkovsky took that spot and stepped up with 50 points.
The question now is whether Dach plays at center or on the right or left wing.
Before joining the Canadiens via a trade in 2022, Dach primarily played center, either between Blackhawks stars Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane or with Dominik Kubalik and Philipp Kurashev. Dach was a center again on occasion in Montreal, skating between veterans Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov.
Dach wouldn’t have to think long if he had to choose which position he wanted to play.
“I feel like I’ve always been a centerman,” Dach told media. ”It’s where I play the best. It’s where I can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create plays off entries…but we’ve got a lot of talent up front now, and I’m happy to play wherever (coach Martin St-Louis) thinks I should be.”
My latest @TheHockeyNews article is about what the players had to say before the team's golf tournament: https://t.co/29wxm5Nijr #GoHabsGo #CH #Canadiens #Habs #THN
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) September 17, 2024
Dach likely won’t be on the Canadiens’ top line this time. Still, if he is the Canadiens’ second-line center, he could play with newly acquired sniper Patrik Laine and potentially Alex Newhook, who also rotates between center and left wing. In that case, Dach should be significantly more successful at producing points now that he’s another year older and had time to recover and work on his skills.
The Hockey News’ Fantasy Guide projected Dach to have 21 goals and 58 points, and that was before the Habs traded for Laine.
“We add Patty Laine who, honestly, it’s one of the best shots I’ve ever seen, his release,” Dach said. “It’s definitely going to add a little more skill and talent up front, and hopefully, we just continue to take steps and get into those meaningful games down the stretch and get there eventually.”
As the Canadiens continue a lengthy rebuild, much of the job now is for the young core to be competitive and not get used to the losing. Every game is a chance for Canadiens management to see who should stick around after the rebuild. This is a massive opportunity for Dach to break out with teammates looking to prove something this year and earn a top-two center spot for years to come.
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News Summary:
- The Montreal Canadiens' Kirby Dach Should Have A Breakout Year
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