Kirby Dach’s spot in Montreal is looking shakier by the day.
The Canadiens forward has opened the season with just one assist in seven games, and that slow start has people around the league asking bigger questions about where he fits next. Elliotte Friedman raised the issue on Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts podcast, noting that Dach’s future in Montreal is now very much in play.
Montreal, according to Friedman, is juggling a number of roster calls at once, and Dach has been part of that discussion for a while. That conversation only gets louder as the Canadiens keep adding pieces, including Chris Kreider a few weeks ago.
The numbers haven’t helped Dach’s case. He hasn’t scored yet, sits at minus-4, and logged just 9:08 on Wednesday in Washington, when he managed only one shot on goal. For a player once seen as a core part of the rebuild, that’s a tough place to be.
Dach’s role has also slipped. He’s currently skating on the fourth line with Jake Evans, a clear sign of how much competition he’s facing for ice time. He finished last season with 15 points in 37 games, but this year’s production has gone quiet.
The contract situation adds another layer. Dach carries a $3.6 million cap hit and is set to become a restricted free agent next summer.
Trade talk around him isn’t coming out of nowhere, either. Frank Seravalli reported that several teams were willing to offer a second-round pick for Dach in June, with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames closely watching his situation. Hughes declined to lower his asking price.
With his minutes shrinking and the Canadiens continuing to stock the roster, the possibility of a move is getting harder to ignore. Dach’s time in Montreal may be running short.
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What makes the situation worth watching is that the door does not appear to be shut from Montreals side, and there are reportedly no hard feelings tied to the near-move. The Canadiens still need help down the middle, and Larkin remains the kind of established center who would immediately change the look of the lineup. For now, it is one of those unresolved NHL storylines that can linger quietly for weeks before suddenly becoming a lot more important. [Read more 🡒]