Will Cole Caufield unlock Kirby Dach?

One of the big storylines for the Montreal Canadiens thus far in the 2024-2025 NHL regular season has been the struggles of Kirby Dach.

Dach hasn't played all that great in the faceoff circle, and the points haven't exactly poured in for the Habs second-line centre. His line also hasn't been anything to write home about, he, Alex Newhook and Joel Armia have been hemmed in their zone on several occasions on many nights. But they have also been invisible in the offensive zone, which has been the primary factor for the team's struggles.

I wrote an article recently about Dach's struggles, so I won't beat a dead horse, but I wondered if there would be a move to shake things up. With Juraj Slafkovsky out for a week due to an upper-body injury, Martin St. Louis took the chance to make some line changes. Moving Dach to the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield is the one that stands out the most.

Oliver Kapanen will equate for one-third of the second line alongside Newhook and Armia. Back to the top line, though, cause Dach could use some new linemates to get him going. Perhaps Caufield's energy and scoring ability will be of better use for Dach than Newhook and Armia's. Dach's play-driving ability and puck rushes should open plenty of space up for Caufield and Nick Suzuki.

Perhaps his passes and one-on-one skills will end up in the back of the net rather than being dumped into the corner or cycled and wasted.

Give it some time before writing them off

It's normal for new combinations to take some time to mesh together, and I suspect that Dach on the top line will be the same. But that doesn't mean that they won't work together, whether it's a period or a few games before they look comfortable together. Dach should benefit in one way or another from playing with players that are offensively on par with him.

With Caufield scoring at a goal-per-game pace and Suzuki able to thread the needle with excellent passes, Dach will be in a perfect position. While he has struggled to do very much positive, a big factor is having linemates who are more suited to cycle the puck and rush up the ice. But to create offence or have any expectations to, pairing the right players together is crucial.

I think that Dach on the top line makes a lot of sense, now when Juraj Slafkovsky returns, there will need to be a move or two made. But for right now, Dach gaining some confidence will be huge. Maybe Dach sticks with one of the top trio players, leaving a duo for both lines.

Splitting the top line isn't ideal, actually quite the opposite, but the Habs need to be more than a one-line team.