Kirby Dach is entering Canadiens training camp with a clear message hanging over him: show up, or face more questions.
That was the blunt assessment from former Montreal Canadiens player Gilbert Delorme, who didn’t soften his view when he talked about the 25-year-old forward on BPM Sports.
Dach’s 2025-26 season was already a tough one to defend. He played only 37 games, dealing with injuries and uneven performances, and finished with 15 points, including 8 goals, along with a -2 rating. For a player the Canadiens kept in the lineup despite plenty of outside noise, that wasn’t nearly enough for Delorme.
"We gave him ice time, we stuck with him, we kept him in the lineup. A lot of the time, people were saying he should be taken out because he was playing really poorly, but we kept him in.
Now, he has to show up, put in the effort and read the game. The big problem with Kirby Dach is that he has trouble reading the play. Every time he steps on the ice, all we're asking is that he puts in the effort."
Delorme’s criticism centered on effort and decision-making, and he made it plain that he expects more from Dach once camp opens.
Anthony Desaulniers also weighed in with a different angle, saying Dach would be a better fit on the wing than at centre.
With Canadiens 2026 training camp getting closer, Dach’s name is already one of the first under the microscope.
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Poulins path has already included a notable stop in Edmonton after a trade in December 2025, adding another layer to a career that has never quite settled into one lane. He has only a handful of NHL appearances to his name, which is part of why this Montreal contract matters as much as it does, even if the real question remains the same as it was in Pittsburgh and Edmonton: whether the Canadiens are getting him at the moment he is ready to turn all that minor-league production into something more at the top level. [Read more 🡒]