With the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft now just hours away, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has already made a splash to join in on the Day 1 festivities. Chicago traded Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for the No. 7 and 39 overall picks in this year’s draft plus a 2024 third-round pick.
However, another notable young Blackhawks forward has entered the rumor mill: Kirby Dach. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings have interest in the 21-year-old, according to John Dietz of The Daily Herald.
Why Would The Blackhawks Trade Kirby Dach?
Selected with the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Dach has yet to take a significant step in his development process. However, the former front office and coaching staff certainly didn’t do him any favors over his first three NHL seasons. Dach also missed a majority of the COVID-shortened 2021 campaign after suffering a fractured wrist at the 2021 World Juniors. He has suited up in just 152 NHL games so far.
At the same time, Dach struggled mightily for the most part of last season and scored just 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 70 games. While the defensive side of his game is already fairly well-versed, there are concerns throughout the organization about Dach’s ceiling being hindered offensively.
Are those concerns enough for Davidson to trade another past first-round selection by the Blackhawks? To be determined. Although, it appears that it would take quite a juicy offer for Dach to wind up with another club by the end of the day.
Columbus currently owns two picks in the top-15 of the 2022 NHL Draft, with the sixth overall selection coming from the Blackhawks as part of the Seth Jones trade. Good memories. The Blue Jackets also have the No. 12 overall pick, while Detroit possesses the No. 8 overall pick.
However, it seems doubtful that either Columbus or Detroit offer up a top-15 pick for Dach. Sure, that high of a first-round pick may seem like a crazy return for Dach, but the Blackhawks also don’t HAVE to trade him.
Dach is currently a pending restricted free agent and won’t command an exorbitant amount of money after a slow start to his career. He’s also only 21 years old and doesn’t even have two full seasons under his belt.
If another NHL GM wants to nab Kirby Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks, they’ll have an opportunity to do so tonight — but it won’t come cheap.
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