Player Discussion Kirby Dach: Welcome to Montreal part 2

[NewDef]

Thing is, kids can have all the skills, it's what they do with it. Imagine Suzuki or Caufield playing with Hutson's dynamic. Not the same game at all...

I have 2 sons playing, they're okay. We worked on being more dynamic, it changed everything. Not faster, not stronger, not a better shot, but reading the game better, being more assertive, faster direction changes, really selling the dekes, all of which they could do but just did'nt.

I have faith MSL is coaching these things, it really showed in CC's game and Dach is picking it up too. I feel when mature we're either looking at a 25-50 center or a 30-40 winger. He's got the tools and maturity will make its work.

Guys like Perry keep being relevant not because of how fast they are but how smart they are. Game smart can be taught, just gotta have a good teacher which MT type of coach cannot teach. Wish Perry would've stayed...

 

[Belial]

Thing is, kids can have all the skills, it's what they do with it. Imagine Suzuki or Caufield playing with Hutson's dynamic. Not the same game at all...

I have 2 sons playing, they're okay. We worked on being more dynamic, it changed everything. Not faster, not stronger, not a better shot, but reading the game better, being more assertive, faster direction changes, really selling the dekes, all of which they could do but just did'nt.

I have faith MSL is coaching these things, it really showed in CC's game and Dach is picking it up too. I feel when mature we're either looking at a 25-50 center or a 30-40 winger. He's got the tools and maturity will make its work.

Guys like Perry keep being relevant not because of how fast they are but how smart they are. Game smart can be taught, just gotta have a good teacher which MT type of coach cannot teach. Wish Perry would've stayed...

It can probably be taught to a certain point but there's no doubt that some players have a much higher hockey IQ than others...

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I don’t think he hits 20 goals.

He’s spent the summer working on his shot.

Canadiens Kirby Dach Training To Improve His Shot Mechanics

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach enjoyed quite a resurgence last season following his abrupt departure from the Chicago Blackhawks. And now that he’s enjoyed a small taste of success, he’s hungry for more. Dach scored 14 goals in 54 games last season, which pro-rates to a 21-goal, 82-game...

montrealhockeynow.com

 

[Belial]

He’s spent the summer working on his shot.

Canadiens Kirby Dach Training To Improve His Shot Mechanics

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach enjoyed quite a resurgence last season following his abrupt departure from the Chicago Blackhawks. And now that he’s enjoyed a small taste of success, he’s hungry for more. Dach scored 14 goals in 54 games last season, which pro-rates to a 21-goal, 82-game...

montrealhockeynow.com

Am I dreaming or you've been quite more active lately than usual?

Are you that excited for the upcoming season?

 

[Kaladin]

Thing is, kids can have all the skills, it's what they do with it. Imagine Suzuki or Caufield playing with Hutson's dynamic. Not the same game at all...

I have 2 sons playing, they're okay. We worked on being more dynamic, it changed everything. Not faster, not stronger, not a better shot, but reading the game better, being more assertive, faster direction changes, really selling the dekes, all of which they could do but just did'nt.

I have faith MSL is coaching these things, it really showed in CC's game and Dach is picking it up too. I feel when mature we're either looking at a 25-50 center or a 30-40 winger. He's got the tools and maturity will make its work.

Guys like Perry keep being relevant not because of how fast they are but how smart they are. Game smart can be taught, just gotta have a good teacher which MT type of coach cannot teach. Wish Perry would've stayed...

I can't see Dach ever scoring 30 goals in this league. His shot is so meh. 50 assists though? Very possible at his peak.

 

[Belial]

I can't see Dach ever scoring 30 goals in this league. His shot is so meh. 50 assists though? Very possible at his peak.

He could probably score 30 goals if he had a playmaking winger on his line.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

He was on pace for around 20 goals last season and he picked it up during the year so he definitely can hit 20. He’ll do it next year.

Want to make a side bet?

 

[BehindTheTimes]

He’s spent the summer working on his shot.

Canadiens Kirby Dach Training To Improve His Shot Mechanics

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach enjoyed quite a resurgence last season following his abrupt departure from the Chicago Blackhawks. And now that he’s enjoyed a small taste of success, he’s hungry for more. Dach scored 14 goals in 54 games last season, which pro-rates to a 21-goal, 82-game...

montrealhockeynow.com

Let’s see how it goes. It’s not just the shot that needs work, he has a pass first tendency that is not easily cleaned up. Nothing wrong with being pass first, but he over does it imo and that will be the area that is toughest to overcome. I don’t think you can improve your shot that much over a summer if it’s been a muffin until your 22 years old either.

What I like is that Turk says that Dach is highly motivated to improve and that can be all the difference in the world. He is the player I am most intrigued by going into the season.

 

[Scriptor]

Even Saku Koivu, with a weak shot, scored 20 goals on three occasions and came close(with 19) none other occasion.

It's not impossible to see Dach score 20 after watching him put the puck the net 14 times in 58 games last season (prorated to a rounded up 20 goals over 82 games).

However, Behind The Times is dead on about Dach's pass-first mentality holding him back. I'm afraid that playing him at C, rather than on the wing with Caufield and Suzuki will only reinforce that mentality.

If Dach were to play RW with Caufield and Suzuki -- plus stay healthy (at least 75 games played) -- I'd be willing to bet that he does reach the 20-goal plateau.

As a C, regardless of the line mates, no.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Let’s see how it goes. It’s not just the shot that needs work, he has a pass first tendency that is not easily cleaned up. Nothing wrong with being pass first, but he over does it imo and that will be the area that is toughest to overcome. I don’t think you can improve your shot that much over a summer if it’s been a muffin until your 22 years old either.

What I like is that Turk says that Dach is highly motivated to improve and that can be all the difference in the world. He is the player I am most intrigued by going into the season.

He’ll never be a 50 goal guy. But he is proactively working on what he perceives to be a weakness in his game. I suspect you’ll see him be more aggressive in terms of becoming a more balanced scorer.

 

[Scriptor]

Let’s see how it goes. It’s not just the shot that needs work, he has a pass first tendency that is not easily cleaned up. Nothing wrong with being pass first, but he over does it imo and that will be the area that is toughest to overcome. I don’t think you can improve your shot that much over a summer if it’s been a muffin until your 22 years old either.

What I like is that Turk says that Dach is highly motivated to improve and that can be all the difference in the world. He is the player I am most intrigued by going into the season.

While I agree with you, I don't think that there was any allusion about Dach's shot being a muffin (did miss that)?

There was a lot of talk about changing angles to make it harder to track the puck for opposing Gs and about releasing the puck with less forewarning (closer to the body) being harder for a 6'4" player like Dach than a 5'-Nothing player like Caufield.

Yet, it's definitely not impossible because a player like Matthews (as much as I am not a fan of his), at 6'3", is a master at doing this -- Caufield even studied Matthews' mechanics while experimenting with his own shot.

If Dach were top his shot totals from 137, a reasonable portrait as an average for his career over an 82-gameschedule, to the 253 shots a full season put up by Brendan Gallagher,I'mconvinced he would regularly score 20+ goals!

Can Dach ever even come close to 200 shots over a full season?

It would surely take a major rethinking of his approach to offense and I'm not certain that would not play against his other qualities as a good forward for zone entries and puck possession in the O-zone (fuelling his playmaking skills)?

At the very least, he'd need to consciously fight his instincts to become more of a shooting threat.

All the better if he is aware of this and accepts the need diversify his attack to become that much better.

A lot of Suzuki's strength, early on last season, was the fact he was a dual threat and able to score,as well as pass the puck to a Caufield that was swooping into open ice pockets near the opposing F/O circle. Not only was that good for Suzuki, but it also helped Caufield's game by giving him a split second more (all the time needs to unwind) once opposing Ds and Gs started hesitating -- even just a little -- when Suzuki had the puck.

IMO, Caufield has even greater odds of becoming a 50-goal scorer if Suzuki scores 30.

 

[Beer and Chips]

You put Caufield with him Dach will never shoot first, lol.

 

[HLLYWD99]

Ah Kirby Dach! My diabolical plan of revenge for 1971 is turning out nicely.
Expect another season of debilitating injuries for #77.

 

[Scriptor]

You put Caufield with him Dach will never shoot first, lol.

This is true and, TBH, coverage on Caufield will be so airtight it will affect his totals as well.

I really like the idea of each on aline with Caufield and Suzuki again --while Monahan is still here to handle 2nd line C duties.

He can concentration shooting more as a winger and, through his zone entry and puck possession, will also enable Caufield and Suzuki to take another step (along with Dach) in their progression.

An Uber-confident Dach can easily transition back to C once Monahan is either injured or moved at the trade deadline. Likely, at that point, Dach will have developed into more of dual threat C and be more effective in that role.

Hopefully, another winger will have proven himself a worthwhile complement to take over RW duties on a line with Caufield and Suzuki...

 

[KevSkillz4]

Kirby Dach is the reason that I'm totally fine picking Reinbacher with the top 5 pick this year. I truly believe that Habs made a splash in 2022 draft with Slaf and Dach, they are both the future at forward for this team. Habs have a really high future at defensive group. With Dach who is going to be a 1st line player, Habs are going to be fun to watch at offensive zone aswell. Dach, Slaf, Suzuki, Caufield and the others young forwards, I'm soooo bype guys

 

[SlafySZN]

Want to make a side bet?

Pretty easily, yes.

 

[Habs4Life]

Let’s see how it goes. It’s not just the shot that needs work, he has a pass first tendency that is not easily cleaned up. Nothing wrong with being pass first, but he over does it imo and that will be the area that is toughest to overcome. I don’t think you can improve your shot that much over a summer if it’s been a muffin until your 22 years old either.

What I like is that Turk says that Dach is highly motivated to improve and that can be all the difference in the world. He is the player I am most intrigued by going into the season.

yeah i agree 100% some people think he's gonna have an Ovechkin shot all of a sudden because he worked on it in the summer lol

 

[SlafySZN]

yeah i agree 100% some people think he's gonna have an Ovechkin shot all of a sudden because he worked on it in the summer lol

No one thinks that.

He doesn’t need to either. His shot is already pretty good up close, just need to find a way to score more in other ways.

 

[Redux91]

Ah Kirby Dach! My diabolical plan of revenge for 1971 is turning out nicely.
Expect another season of debilitating injuries for #77.

View attachment 738904​

 

[Junohockeyfan]

This is true and, TBH, coverage on Caufield will be so airtight it will affect his totals as well.

I really like the idea of each on aline with Caufield and Suzuki again --while Monahan is still here to handle 2nd line C duties.

He can concentration shooting more as a winger and, through his zone entry and puck possession, will also enable Caufield and Suzuki to take another step (along with Dach) in their progression.

An Uber-confident Dach can easily transition back to C once Monahan is either injured or moved at the trade deadline. Likely, at that point, Dach will have developed into more of dual threat C and be more effective in that role.

Hopefully, another winger will have proven himself a worthwhile complement to take over RW duties on a line with Caufield and Suzuki...

If the plan is for Dach to be the longterm C, then he needs to be playing their during these development years. I don't see Dach playing wing anymore unless he loses his confidence at C and on the dot.

 

[Kaladin]

He’ll never be a 50 goal guy. But he is proactively working on what he perceives to be a weakness in his game. I suspect you’ll see him be more aggressive in terms of becoming a more balanced scorer.

Blackhawks’ Kirby Dach building confidence in his shot but struggling with accuracy

Dach’s hesitancy to shoot hampered his production during his first two NHL seasons, but his slow start this season stems from a different issue.

chicago.suntimes.com

Dach has been working on his shot for a long time now. Unfortunately proactively working on it doesn't seem to be making much of a impact.

 

[NewDef]

He could probably score 30 goals if he had a playmaking winger on his line.

Or play winger on the first line which he very well could.

 

[Rapala]

Let’s see how it goes. It’s not just the shot that needs work, he has a pass first tendency that is not easily cleaned up. Nothing wrong with being pass first, but he over does it imo and that will be the area that is toughest to overcome. I don’t think you can improve your shot that much over a summer if it’s been a muffin until your 22 years old either.

What I like is that Turk says that Dach is highly motivated to improve and that can be all the difference in the world. He is the player I am most intrigued by going into the season.

The season is already looking up. Dach can shoot and Slaf can breath. Great Summer!

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Blackhawks’ Kirby Dach building confidence in his shot but struggling with accuracy

Dach’s hesitancy to shoot hampered his production during his first two NHL seasons, but his slow start this season stems from a different issue.

chicago.suntimes.com

Dach has been working on his shot for a long time now. Unfortunately proactively working on it doesn't seem to be making much of an impact.

He paced for 20 goals last year, I’d say that’s improvement. He’s still only 21,22 years old and don’t forget he had a brutal wrist injury at 18.

 

[Scriptor]

Playing wing again, for Dach, on the first line, for one more season, as we develop an adequate replacement option, will not hurt his performance as a C in the long haul.

He will still exercise his zone entry skills on the Suzuki line, his puck possession acumen will still be solicited, his playmaking skills to create scoring opportunities will still be on display and he will regularly take on the role of C on that line when it comes to defensive play in his own zone on the back check.

It's really an advantage to have two Cs with defensive awareness and offensive skills on a two-way line meant to shutdown opponents while still producing offensive numbers. One allows the other to take off and concentrate on creating offense without hampering the defensive side of that line's game. It also isn't always tasked to the same C and provides different looks that can exploit opposing Ds more easily.

There have been many examples of Cs that were weaned on the wing and eventually had great careers at C. Thinking that playing wing for another season, as a 22-yr-old will cripple Dach's future at C is ludicrous and demonstrates a lack of understanding about the game, IMO.

A lot of the game is confidence and playing RW with Caufield and Suzuki will definitely help build Dach's confidence, something he can take with him to Center when he resumes that role.

GO DACH GO!

GO HABS GO!