Kirby Dach, a promising forward for the Montreal Canadiens, is about to face a significant setback in the upcoming games. The news comes from Eric Engels at Sportsnet, and it's all due to a troublesome lower-body injury. Dach suffered this injury during the recent game against the Chicago Blackhawks, where he received a hard hit from Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi.
At only 22 years old, Dach appeared to be a cornerstone player for the Canadiens' future. In his debut season with Montreal in 2022-23, he put up impressive numbers, scoring 14 goals, contributing 24 assists, and accumulating 38 points in 58 games. These statistics indicated a potential career-high pace of 54 points for a full season, marking him as a player to watch.
Last season, Dach mocked the Chicago Blackhawks crowd when he scored the shootout winning goal:
This injury, however, isn't the first of its kind for Dach. In the previous season, he missed 16 games due to another lower-body injury. In his absence, the Canadiens will rely on another rising star, Alex Newhook, who is expected to step into the role of center for the team's second line.
It's worth noting that Montreal Canadiens struggled with injuries in the previous season, leading the NHL in man-games lost to injuries. For a team highly dedicated to developing its young core, Dach's injury poses a less-than-ideal situation.
As Dach is sidelined due to his injury, the Canadiens are preparing to place him on the injured reserve list. In the meantime, they will recall a forward from AHL Laval to maintain their roster balance, as they currently have just 12 healthy forwards available.
POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 16 | 70 ANSWERS Terrible Karma Strikes Former Chicago Blackhawks Forward DO you think this is bad karma for Kirby Dach? | ||
Yes | 40 | 57.1 % |
No | 30 | 42.9 % |
List of polls |