Introduction
When Kirby Dach was acquired in a draft-day trade that shocked the crowd at the Bell Centre, there were questions regarding his upside. The Montreal Canadiens were betting that they would be able to help him get to new heights, and he did just that despite another injury-filled season.
In 58 games, he set career highs in goals (14), assists (24), and points (38) despite the 58 games being the second-lowest amount he’s had in his four NHL seasons.
It wasn’t just the production that allowed him to stand out. He made every line he was a part of better, and may have been one of the players the Canadiens missed most when he was injured. Others may eventually join in, but his first season in Montreal firmly established himself enough to turn the organization’s core forward duo of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield into a trio.
Voting
Dach’s highest vote was from “Dachmatic” at #2, which does seem a bit suspicious now that you look at it. Patrik also had Dach at #2, but there is no truth to the rumour that he calls himself Dachtrik or Patrdach.
Eight of the remaining panellists had Dach in the top five, with four having him right at #3.
Matt and I had him lowest at #7. Personally, this might seem a little harsh, but I had Juraj Slafkovský at #3, and then the group of three defencemen just ever so slightly ahead of Dach. That entire group is incredibly close, and honestly any order of the top seven could be defended.
T25U25 History
Marc-Antoine Lévis
One year after they both made headlines on the same night, Dach and Slafkovský trade spots in the Top 25 Under 25 from a year ago as Dach moves from fifth to third, and Slafkovský moved the opposite direction.
History of #3
| Year | #3 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Juraj Slafkovský |
| 2021 | Alexander Romanov |
| 2020 | Cole Caufield |
| 2019 | Jonathan Drouin |
| 2018 | Artturi Lehkonen |
| 2017 | Artturi Lehkonen |
| 2016 | Mikhail Sergachev |
| 2015 | Nathan Beaulieu |
| 2014 | Nathan Beaulieu |
| 2013 | Max Pacioretty |
| 2012 | Alex Galchenyuk |
| 2011 | Max Pacioretty |
| 2010 | Lars Eller |
Strengths
Dach’s biggest asset since becoming a member of the Canadiens has been his ability to have an impact on every line, in any role. Whether it was on the wing with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield or at centre, he showed his versatility.
It would be easy to say that Dach’s size is a strength. In a way it is, but it’s how he uses it that makes it a real benefit. Unlike most players his size, he isn’t overly physical, and won’t be mistaken for a power forward. If you’re wondering why this sounds like a weakness section rather than a strength section, give me another sentence. The one thing that was apparent the instant I saw Dach play was his reach.
These are not the kind of plays that Dach made in previous years. Twice, he gets inside positioning on a puck: He seals it from an opponent (not for himself but for Suzuki) and then slips in between D and G at the net. He enabled that goal with physical skills. Clear progress. pic.twitter.com/TWgj1EOGUC
— David St-Louis (@DavidSt_Louis) November 13, 2022
He uses his reach in two different aspects on both ends of the ice. He’s able to keep the puck away from opponents while he has possession, and uses his body to protect it. Without the puck, he uses that reach to create turnovers and retrieve pucks. The chart below from All Three Zones shows he was one of the best players in the league at both defensive-zone puck retrievals and exiting the zone with control, where he’s able to use both of those aspects together.
His defensive play, which had been fairly good in his time with the Chicago Blackhawks, was a hallmark of his game, and something that gives Martin St-Louis a lot of options for his lineup construction.
Weaknesses
One of the knocks against Dach is that he doesn’t use his physicality as much as you would like from a player who is 6’4″ and 212 pounds. It’s something that can make him seem less effective than he actually is when things aren’t going well.
His play at centre was good, but he continued to struggle with faceoffs, one of the main things mentioned as a reason why the Blackhawks decided to part with him. He improved from 32.8% to 38.3% last season, but it will need to remain a focus if he stays in the middle of the ice.
He’s a competent transition player in terms of getting the puck into the offensive zone, but so far hasn’t figured out to capitalize on all of his good work on defence and in the neutral zone once he’s in on the attack. Few chances were created off of his own controlled zone entries. After four seasons in the NHL, last year’s point total of 38 serves as his career high.
Projection
The elephant in the room with Dach is whether his future is at centre or at wing, but unlike other players profiled before him, the issue isn’t with his play. He was needed as the team’s second-line centre last season behind Nick Suzuki with no one else to take that role due to injuries to Sean Monahan and Christian Dvorak, but he was also the best option in the top-line right-winger spot, forcing the coaching to compromise on one line or the other.
Dach has established himself as a top-six forward with the potential to develop into more than that. His versatility is an asset as it helps him fit into where the team needs him and he has shown to play very well in both positions.
The gamble to trade for him last year paid off for Kent Hughes and the Canadiens. He is still only 22 years old despite entering his fifth NHL season. His 210 career NHL games are enough to put him 11th on the roster in terms of NHL experience.
There weren’t many bright spots for the Canadiens last season, but Dach establishing himself as a member of the future core (which wasn’t a sure thing when he was acquired) is a huge development (no pun intended) for the organization’s future.
Andrew Berkshire joins Patrik Bexell and Anton Rasegård to discuss Kirby Dach on the latest podcast.
Matt Drake
