Kirby Dach’s grip on a future in Montreal is slipping fast.
The latest flashpoint came in the Canadiens’ game against Buffalo, where Dach’s penalty only added fuel to the backlash already building around him. François Gagnon and Max Lalonde were among those who sounded off, and the frustration around the forward is only getting louder.
Gagnon called the call a minor penalty that pointed to a larger problem: if you’re not skating, you’re giving the officials a reason to put the whistle to your team. He also raised the bigger question hanging over Dach now - how many more chances does he get? Lalonde, meanwhile, put it even more bluntly.
The production simply isn’t there.
Dach, 25, has only one assist in six games and is sitting at minus-3. Right now, he’s giving the Canadiens next to nothing offensively, and the numbers are making that impossible to ignore.
Against Buffalo, he logged just 9:40 of ice time and didn’t record a shot on goal. That was his third straight game without a shot and with fewer than 10 minutes on the ice.
He’s on the fourth line now, which is far from the kind of role that lets a player show off his full game. But even in limited minutes, he still has to make himself matter.
His $3.6 million contract runs out this summer, and an extension looks less and less likely. Trade interest has reportedly been there, with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames among the teams watching his situation. Back in June, several clubs were said to have offered a second-round pick.
Kent Hughes has held firm on his asking price, but Dach’s continued struggles could keep dragging that value down.
At this point, the question is obvious: what is he waiting for?
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