Injury to Alex Newhook creates an opportunity for Kirby Dach

The Montreal Canadiens were dealt a significant early-season blow when Alex Newhook suffered what the team confirmed as a fractured ankle during Thursday night’s loss to the Dallas Stars. It’s the kind of injury that immediately reshapes a forward group.

Newhook was enjoying one of the best starts of his career, six goals and six assists for 12 points in 17 games. His absence now leaves a significant vacancy, one that could become a defining opportunity for Kirby Dach.

The door of opportunity has swung open for Kirby Dach

Dach has quietly put together the type of start that fans and management have been waiting for. Skating on the third line, he’s posted five goals and two assists, but his early-season impact goes beyond the stat line. He finally looks healthy. His stride is smoother, he’s playing with confidence on the puck, and the two-way presence that made him a key part of Kent Hughes’ long-term vision has resurfaced.

Dach has unquestionably shown promising flashes early in the year, but that alone does not earn greater roles in the NHL. However, opportunity certainly can. Now, with Newhook sidelined for a few months and Dach being in the final year of his contract, this is one of those opportunities Dach quite literally cannot afford to let slip away.

It is still unclear how head coach Martin St. Louis will approach the sudden hole on the second line, but the new line combinations at practice suggest we could see Dach start Saturday's meeting with the Boston Bruins on the left wing of that second line. Dach does indeed stand out as the most natural fit, given his versatility, given that he has proven the ability to play both down the middle and on the wings.

Dach's size, hands, and versatility give him the toolkit to handle tougher matchups and heavier minutes. St. Louis is known for line shuffling, but Dach is almost guaranteed a bump in usage no matter which line he plays on. More special teams time, more offensive-zone looks, and more late-game responsibility are to be expected.

For Dach, the chance for him to make a lasting impact that will solidify his spot in the Canadiens' plans past this season is now or never. Dach is headed toward free agency at season's end. While the Canadiens value his ability and upside greatly, his lack of durability and consistency makes the thought of letting him walk in the summer a real possibility.

It is no secret that Dach has battled injuries in past seasons, and while this year’s start has been encouraging, he still has something to prove. Newhook’s injury presents an opportunity for Dach to take on top-six responsibilities and demonstrate that he can be trusted with the kind of minutes typically given to core players.

The Canadiens need Dach to deliver

Not only is this shaping up to be a massively important stretch for Dach to prove his worth, but the Canadiens as a whole need Dach to step up. When Hughes made the trade for defenseman Noah Dobson, it proved to the fan base that the organization believes this is a team ready to take the next step out of its retooling and rebuilding phase.

In this stage, every injury forces teams to evaluate not only short-term replacements but long-term foundational pieces. If Dach can elevate his play during this stretch, it won’t simply help the Canadiens keep pace in the tight Atlantic division; it will reinforce that he deserves to be involved in the club’s future plans. Young teams grow through adversity, and individual players often find their next gear when the circumstances demand it.

Newhook’s injury is undeniably a setback for a Canadiens team that had been on quite a roll, sitting in a tie for first in the division. However, the NHL has shown us that a team's season is shaped by how it responds to adversity. For Dach, this is more than a temporary bump in responsibility; it’s a chance to stamp down a bigger role and leave no doubt about the player he can be.

The door has opened for Dach under unfortunate circumstances, but now, all that is left is for Dach to skate on through it.