Player Discussion Kirby Dach: Welcome to Montreal part 2

[WeThreeKings]

Wasn't expecting him to be turned into a winger so fast but so glad that he's found chemistry with Cole and Suzuki. He just needs to trust his shot a little more. His hands and vision are currently on display and I hope the people who hated the move will now happily eat crow. Dach is the one player who's shown chemistry with these two and I'd argue he fits the line better than Toffoli did. With what Beck showed at TC, I'm not too worried we have a potential 2C in store.

He's not turned into a winger. He's playing wing. There's nothing wrong with being on the top line and getting confidence by putting up points in the NHL and learning how to play off elite NHL talent.

It's part of his growth. Eventually he will have the confidence to run his own line. Just need to find some additional talent.

 

[SOLR]

Keeping the 13th pick wasn't a non-sensical move. Just another move, with less risk, but the risk paid off so far. I haven't seen many bashing this trade.

Less risk? Not in last year's draft lol

 

[Andy]

Less risk? Not in last year's draft lol

Yah I’m not sure how a 21 year old with three seasons of nhl experience is more risky than a 13th overall pick still playing in juniors. Makes no sense

 

[jaffy27]

He's not turned into a winger. He's playing wing. There's nothing wrong with being on the top line and getting confidence by putting up points in the NHL and learning how to play off elite NHL talent.

It's part of his growth. Eventually he will have the confidence to run his own line. Just need to find some additional talent.

And that’s where the 2023 draft comes into the fold.

Wouldn’t it be great to have another Suzuki/Caufield like line!!

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Yah I’m not sure how a 21 year old with three seasons of nhl experience is more risky than a 13th overall pick still playing in juniors. Makes no sense

Getting a career threatening injury is a big risk factor for growth, but people seem to forget that....

Less risk? Not in last year's draft lol

See the post above. As if the risk is all about development. The injury Dach had raised serious questions about his future.

 

[Andy]

Getting a career threatening injury is a big risk factor for growth, but people seem to forget that....



See the post above. As if the risk is all about development. The injury Dach had raised serious questions about his future.

Sorry man, this is a little bit of a reach. This is the problem when people care about being right instead of just enjoying the sport. They shoehorn anything into their narratives

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Sorry man, this is a little bit of a reach. This is the problem when people care about being right instead of just enjoying the sport. They shoehorn anything into their narratives

Shoehorn? I talked about this on the day of the trade. In fact it was a subject that was talked about a lot on that day. It IS a risk factor. The reach here is you believing you know everything that happened. Ffs, his wrist bones got shattered to pieces.

It has nothing to do about being right. On the day of the trade, I said it was a risk because of injury. It was still a risk. I never said it was a bad trade, so instead of butting in and alluding to things you are clueless about (being right, adding this narrative), next time either don't or at least have the decency to probe why I say this.

 

[ReHabs]

Sorry man, this is a little bit of a reach. This is the problem when people care about being right instead of just enjoying the sport. They shoehorn anything into their narratives

The Habs should trade every 1st round pick they have for 21 year old reclamation projects with lots of potential. Would you approve of this strategy? What if it was top5 protected? Genuine questions - it's a matter of taste, there is no wrong answer.

It's simple, some people have different risk tolerances than others especially when it comes to (1) first round picks and (2) "reclamation projects". I agree with @Ozymandias that it was indeed a risk given his troubles last years. And as you know about my approach with the 1OA I would've been extremely conservative in my tolerance for a potential bust with the 1OA, that's just my taste.

There's nothing wrong with approving or disapproving of the small/medium gamble on Dach, and indeed Big D Hughes did make a bet. But if (God forbid) Dach had a wrist inflammation or something come up, do you want people to gloat and bleat about the trade?

 

[Dach Vader]

Right now Dach makes the most sense with Suzuki/Caufield. He has a lot of qualities that check the boxes.

I like the fact that they are all around the same age and will be here long term. It's a good scenario to boost Kirby's confidence and hone his offensive mentality.

Much rather see him producing on the wing than have him playing center with guys who can't score and/or won't be here next year.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Right now Dach makes the most sense with Suzuki/Caufield. He has a lot of qualities that check the boxes.

I like the fact that they are all around the same age and will be here long term. It's a good scenario to boost Kirby's confidence and hone his offensive mentality.

Much rather see him producing on the wing than have him playing center with guys who can't score and/or won't be here next year.

My hope is he can go back to center with better wingers and have Slaf replace him as NS/CC's winger when he's ready. Dach is softer than Slaf so in the long run, I'd go with the latter if he lives up to his potential.

 

[Paddyjack]

With Beck and Mesar in the pipelline and very close, I wouldn't mind Dach being turned into a winger, especially since his weakness remains the faceoffs.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I'm 100% fine if they keep and develop Dach to become winger. So far with Suzuki and Caufield he show why he is a 3rd overall pick at 2019 draft. High offensive talent, fantastic passing ability (have certainly potential to put 40 assists or more per season), great skating ability, he just need to shoot more and he is going to be a very very good top 6 or even a 1st line player for Habs.

 

[BLONG7]

Right now Dach makes the most sense with Suzuki/Caufield. He has a lot of qualities that check the boxes.

I like the fact that they are all around the same age and will be here long term. It's a good scenario to boost Kirby's confidence and hone his offensive mentality.

Much rather see him producing on the wing than have him playing center with guys who can't score and/or won't be here next year.

Imagine.......................putting 3 players with skill together would produce results!! lol
The team has to stop with the foolish notion that these skilled kids need to prop up a few turds so we can get some value from them at the deadline....................a turd is a turd.

Many on here probably realize how good a deal that Hughes signed Dach to.

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

I'm 100% fine if they keep and develop Dach to become winger. So far with Suzuki and Caufield he show why he is a 3rd overall pick at 2019 draft. High offensive talent, fantastic passing ability (have certainly potential to put 40 assists or more per season), great skating ability, he just need to shoot more and he is going to be a very very good top 6 or even a 1st line player for Habs.

Maybe he needs to gain his confidence has a winger, and when that's done, maybe they can try him back has a center

 

[KevSkillz4]

Maybe he needs to gain his confidence has a winger, and when that's done, maybe they can try him back has a center

Yeah maybe, but with Owen Beck who looks like a futur very good C in NHL and potentially to draft a very good C in 2023 draft, if we want Dach play top 6, he need to be a winger.

 

[Whitesnake]

FA % will not be a determining factor in whether Kirby plays center or not. You made the point and you are wrong.

Says who? Stats says I'm right. Welcome to reality.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

I'm 100% fine if they keep and develop Dach to become winger. So far with Suzuki and Caufield he show why he is a 3rd overall pick at 2019 draft. High offensive talent, fantastic passing ability (have certainly potential to put 40 assists or more per season), great skating ability, he just need to shoot more and he is going to be a very very good top 6 or even a 1st line player for Habs.

Absolutely.

I can honestly say that the Caufield-Suzuki-Dach line is the most skilled/best 1st line I’ve seen since the mid 90s. They all think the game at an incredibly high level, have an elite skillset and that skillset just meshes well with the other guys on the line.

With Beck/Mesar/Kidney all in the pipeline, there’s no reason to be dead set on Dach absolutely needing to be a Center at 21 years old. We don’t have enough guys that can play at his level for him to succeed at Center in my opinion.

 

[26Mats]

My hope is he can go back to center with better wingers and have Slaf replace him as NS/CC's winger when he's ready. Dach is softer than Slaf so in the long run, I'd go with the latter if he lives up to his potential.

I hope Dach will become a more physically dominant player as he ages and puts on weight. Even though he's not the thickest player, I could see him being tougher in the corners amd against opposition when he's 25.

With Beck and Mesar in the pipelline and very close, I wouldn't mind Dach being turned into a winger, especially since his weakness remains the faceoffs.

And, we may draft another stud offensive center in the next couple drafts

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Says who? Stats says I'm right. Welcome to reality.

I’m pretty sure I just did.

 

[Sterling Archer]

If it wasn’t for the Suzuki Caufield and Dach line, we’d be last place. They’re literally the only forwards producing anything. Where did the vets go?? Disgusting that they vanished and play like they just dont care. I’d get rid of any and all of them at this point.

 

[Nedved]

I'm 100% fine if they keep and develop Dach to become winger. So far with Suzuki and Caufield he show why he is a 3rd overall pick at 2019 draft. High offensive talent, fantastic passing ability (have certainly potential to put 40 assists or more per season), great skating ability, he just need to shoot more and he is going to be a very very good top 6 or even a 1st line player for Habs.

I'm sure Dach doesn't mind playing with Caufield and Suzuki either. Skate around, touch the puck a couple times, and stack the points. Just kidding, he's been great, there's a lot of chemistry between the three young stallions.

 

[Paddyjack]

If it wasn’t for the Suzuki Caufield and Dach line, we’d be last place. They’re literally the only forwards producing anything. Where did the vets go?? Disgusting that they vanished and play like they just dont care. I’d get rid of any and all of them at this point.

They were always bad I think. It's just that right now we have a taste of what real NHL players look like.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

With Beck and Mesar in the pipelline and very close, I wouldn't mind Dach being turned into a winger, especially since his weakness remains the faceoffs.

This may be heretical to say here but I don’t think Dach has the skating ability to be an impactful center in the NHL. In any event we should have several better options at center in the coming years.

 

[Sterling Archer]

They were always bad I think. It's just that right now we have a taste of what real NHL players look like.

At least they used to show up. Now they seem content taking a backseat to the kids and riding their coattails.

 

[26Mats]

If it wasn’t for the Suzuki Caufield and Dach line, we’d be last place. They’re literally the only forwards producing anything. Where did the vets go?? Disgusting that they vanished and play like they just dont care. I’d get rid of any and all of them at this point.

Players aren't as good when they get older, or injuries deteriorate their bodies at a relatively younger age. It's not that that they don't care. It's that they're no longer good.

Dadonov, Drouin, and Byron are gone at the end of this yesr ( and should be in Laval for the remainder of it).

Hoffman is gone after next ( and should be in Laval until then)

Armia will be an overpaid but useful 4th liner until the year after that.

Gallagher hopefully similar but a 3rd liner and for even longer

Anderson hopefully gets traded Petry style: for another big contract but for a player that more fits team dynamics. Matheson could really make the Petry trade look like a steal.