Kirby Dach was acquired by the Montreal Canadiens to shore up the Habs' top six as far as the centre position is concerned.
Dach unquestionably has the skills to become a top-six centre, with the potential to be the top-line pivot. Unfortunately Dach's luck has been pretty bad, or else he would have no luck at all. But if you have a look at his statistics, he produces when he is healthy and has shown glimpses of his potential.
The Chicago Blackhawks gave up on him a little early, in my opinion, but as far as they're concerned he hasn't exactly bit them in the butt for it yet. But all of the reasons that the Blackhawks drafted Dach haven't just gone away. He can flat-out play the game and from his centre position, he can slow things down and dominate with his skill, size and vision combo.
Stu Cowan on expectations for Kirby Dach:
— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) August 10, 2024
"If Kirby Dach can play 82 games this season, even if he gets 35-40 points, just stay healthy... If he doesn't produce the first 20 games of the season and gets 5 or 6 points I wouldn't be panicking"#GoHabsGo #thesickpodcast… pic.twitter.com/DanKsqgOrT
So, I don't think that Montreal Gazette Habs' beat reporter Stu Cowan is far off in saying that Dach's focus should just be to stay healthy. If he can remain in the lineup and find his rhythm then good things are bound to come from it. Dach is like a general, he operates things from the middle like a grizzled veteran, making his linemates' lives easy with his skating ability and the pace that he plays with.
Healthy Dach gives the Habs options
Obviously, for any skilled player, you want them to produce points and make a difference on the scoresheet. Ultimately, the team with more goals wins - but the team with a healthy lineup also fares much better than the team who is injured. Hockey is unpredictable and things happen, but focusing on playing the game the right way, rather than trying to do too much is the secret formula.
Dach can and will produce points, but he does other things quite well also - such as creating space for his linemates with his speed and burning the opposition with precision passes on the breakout and in the attacking zone. When healthy, Dach makes a difference and provides the Habs with a balanced top six, which elevates the Habs' chances of scoring goals. With a few wingers, like Alex Newhook and Joshua Roy trying to find their way in the Habs top six, having a healthy Dach could go a long way for the duo.