Montreal Canadiens Could Be Moving On From Kirby Dach Sooner Than Expected
Photo credit: Habs Eyes on the Prize
Could Kirby Dach's time with the Montreal Canadiens be coming to an end? Unfortunately, the forward hasn't achieved the expected success with the Montreal Canadiens, and it's believed he could be traded before the start of the next season.
At the NHL Draft held at the Bell Centre in June 2022, Kent Hughes made a trade to bring Kirby Dach onto his roster.
It was a three-team trade that sent defenseman Alexander Romanov to the New York Islanders, while the Chicago Blackhawks got a first-round pick that eventually turned into the talented Frank Nazar.
More than three years after that trade, it's fair to say Kent Hughes hasn't won his gamble with Kirby Dach, who has unfortunately been plagued by injuries.
A former first-round pick, 3rd overall in the 2019 draft, the forward has missed a significant number of games since the start of his career, which has had a major impact on his development.
The Fort Saskatchewan native is very talented, but certain aspects of his game still need improvement, and some Canadiens fans question his level of commitment.
However, Dach is still only 24 years old, which could work in Montreal's favor on the trade market. He certainly doesn't have the same value he once did, but there's still time for him to succeed-if he can stay healthy.
The end of Kirby Dach with the Montreal Canadiens seems near
Currently, several experts are releasing their projections for the Canadiens' 2025-26 lineup. The website Daily Faceoff updated its roster projection to include the additions of Zachary Bolduc and Noah Dobson.
According to them, Kirby Dach no longer has a spot on either of the two power-play units. Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, and Ivan Demidov make up the first unit, followed by Brendan Gallagher, Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook, Zachary Bolduc, and Noah Dobson on the second unit.
And unfortunately for Dach, Daily Faceoff is far from the only outlet excluding him from power-play duty.
Another significant detail that could signal the end of No. 77 in Montreal is the fact that Yegor Chinakhov of the Columbus Blue Jackets has just officially requested a trade.
The Russian forward, who is the same age as Kirby Dach, has surprisingly had a very similar path to the Canadiens' center.
He is extremely talented but has also suffered many injuries. A change of scenery could benefit both players, and a trade would make a lot of sense.
In your opinion, will Kirby Dach start next season wearing the Canadiens' uniform? Would you trade him for Yegor Chinakhov?
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 21 | 607 ANSWERS Montreal Canadiens Could Be Moving On From Kirby Dach Sooner Than Expected Do you believe Kirby Dach will start next season in a Montreal Canadiens uniform? | ||
| Yes | 435 | 71.7 % |
| No | 172 | 28.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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