Kirby Dach: the Canadiens have no choice but to be patient with him

Three years ago, the Canadiens traded Alexander Romanov for Kirby Dach. Basically, that was the deal, which also involved a high first-round pick who ultimately went from New York to Chicago. The surplus on the left meant that Romanov wasn’t becoming indispensable to Montreal. At the time, it seemed like an excellent deal for the Habs. But the picture in 2025 is different. Alexander Romanov has established himself as the trusted defenseman on Long Island (and was paid accordingly by Mathieu Darche) and Dach… What about Dach? The Canadiens’ center had a good first season in Montreal. But since then, injuries (and other factors) have meant that he hasn’t been the player the Habs were looking for. He didn’t look like the most invested man on the ice in 2024-2025. But now, all indications are that Dach will be in top form for the Canadiens’ 2025 camp. And even though he didn’t play at the end of the season and in the playoffs, the absence of a true #2 center makes him relatively indispensable to Montreal. The subject was discussed on Shaun Starr’s podcast, where Marco D’Amico was also present.