Player Discussion Kirby Dach: Welcome to Montreal

[Andy]

At this point he really looks like the Habs 3rd best forward. What is annoying for line planning is that, barring Caufield and hopefully Slafkovski, the best forwards are all Cs

While stinky yesterday, Dvorak is still confortably the 4 best forward. Then you have Monahan who looked pretty decent against the Leafs while Evans is also superior to most wingers

At least one C should be sent to wing to consolidate the top 9. I'd try Dvorak on Suzuki's or Dach's wing. It would also be nice if he could get going offensively on a consistent basis in case a nice trade offer appears

I'd try to minimize the presence of guys like Hoffman, Gallagher, Dadonov or Drouin on the top 6 as much as possible

"the best forwards are all Cs"...we've been waiting 30 years to hear that....*cries emotionally*

 

[jj cale]

I want to see how he looks when our roster is complete. If he is passing more than shooting but his wingers are putting it in the back of the net, I'll be totally fine with it.

I do like players who are not afraid to shoot though. Totally agree with what you are saying in terms of being deceptive. Lets look at Suzuki's shot progression over the last 3 seasons...

19/20:
* 138 shots in 71 games (age 20)
* 1.94 shots/game

20/21:
* 110 shots in 56 games (age 21)
* 1.96 shots/game

21/22:
* 186 shots in 82 games (age 22)
* 2.27 shots/game

If he starts to shoot more and it becomes an effective tool it just opens up the ice more for him and for everyone else, like you said, if his passing ends up with the wingers putting the puck in the net that is great, but it will be even easier to do if he becomes a legitimate threat to score himself. nothing wrong with a Joe Thornton type player, but why limit yourself Kirby? being well rounded just makes a player that much more effective.

I hope he works on that and adds it to his game.

 

[SlafySZN]

If he starts to shoot more and it becomes an effective tool it just opens up the ice more for him and for everyone else, like you said, if his passing ends up with the wingers putting the puck in the net that is great, but it will be even easier to do if he becomes a legitimate threat to score himself. nothing wrong with a Joe Thornton type player, but why limit yourself Kirby? being well rounded just makes a player that much more effective.

I hope he works on that and adds it to his game.

He said he worked on his shot this summer

I saw him score really awesome goals in the last few years especially on his backhand, he’s able to score very close to the net but yes, i want him to shoot more.

 

[jj cale]

He said he worked on his shot this summer

I saw him score really awesome goals in the last few years especially on his backhand, he’s able to score very close to the net but yes, i want him to shoot more.

Glad to hear he worked on that, now I hope he starts to use it when the season gets underway, he needs to start gaining some confidence with it.

 

[Tetragrammaton]

Kirby Dach is going to be the C we wanted with Jesperi Kotkaniemi... he is much more impressive than KK. When Josh Anderson is going to play... Dach is going to use his size, going to be a beast.

With that new development staff... Slafkovsky and Dach are in pretty good hands... they are going to complete so well Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

Dach > Kotkaniemi

Not even close and never will be. KK is what he is he won’t improve much, he’s been getting worse since his rookie season. Dach is the real deal, Chicago are just plain dumb for trading him during a rebuild.

 

[Andrei79]

He looked so damn good last game. I hope this is Dach we get going forward.

 

[Habs Halifax]

If he starts to shoot more and it becomes an effective tool it just opens up the ice more for him and for everyone else, like you said, if his passing ends up with the wingers putting the puck in the net that is great, but it will be even easier to do if he becomes a legitimate threat to score himself. nothing wrong with a Joe Thornton type player, but why limit yourself Kirby? being well rounded just makes a player that much more effective.

I hope he works on that and adds it to his game.

If he has high hockey IQ, all he has to do is watch and learn from what Suzuki does and I'm sure he will.

 

[Runner77]

50 % yesterday on FO

His face-off doesn't look to be a problem in the preseason

Too small a sample size but liking the early returns.

 

[morhilane]

Too small a sample size but liking the early returns.

He's at 52.27% for the preseason so far (all situations), only Dvorak has done better than him on the team (64.10%).

 

[Runner77]

He's at 52.27% for the preseason so far (all situations), only Dvorak has done better than him on the team (64.10%).

I’m not disputing his ratio only that it’s too few games to be a reliable indicator.

 

[Rob Sense]

He's at 52.27% for the preseason so far (all situations), only Dvorak has done better than him on the team (64.10%).

But...but...his injured wrist! Oh the humanity!!

 

[SlafySZN]

But...but...his injured wrist! Oh the humanity!!

 

[cphabs]

Lehkonen was playing well under Ducharme. He didn't improve offensively after the coaching change.

Under Ducharme:
7 goals and 18 pts in the last 29 games
4 goals and 9 pts in the last 12 games

Under St. Louis:
6 goals and 10 pts in 16 games

With Colorado:
6 goals and 9 pts in 16 games

And the winning goal for the Stanley Cup… With an outstanding playoff campaign!

 

[morhilane]

I’m not disputing his ratio only that it’s too few games to be a reliable indicator.

For fun I went to check his previous preseason faceoff %: 41.46%.
There seems to be some improvements, even if he doesn't keep a 50%+ rate during the season.

 

[Rob Sense]

View attachment 591051

Whodathunkit...So many armchair orthopods here saying he would need a wrist transplant...that he was damaged goods...would be on LTIR....would carry that bad wrist to his grave...that he could not play center if he can't take a face-off...etc. Just happy he got to play a couple of games to dispel the BS!

 

[Runner77]

For fun I went to check his previous preseason faceoff %: 41.46%.
There seems to be some improvements, even if he doesn't keep a 50%+ rate during the season.

It’s always been a weak aspect of Dach’s game, as shown by numbers dug up by @Adam Michaels:

In Junior:
2017-18 (41%)
2018-19 (41%) - Year of his draft

In Pros:
2019-20 (34%)
2020-21 (40%) - This was after his injury at the WJC
2021-22 (33%)

You can see from the above that there was no negative impact on his faceoff percentages after his wrist injury. It’s just an aspect that he needed to work on more extensively.

Dach had the 3rd worst faceoff percentage in the league last season among those having taken 100 or more faceoffs.

So, there is nowhere for him to go but up and we have the resources to help him get there.

 

[Tyson]

Since Suzuki is out for tomorrow does Dach center Caufield?

 

[jaffy27]

I’m only answering this post cause it’s the first time I see the use of “calvince” (you spelled it incorrectly, though, lol) on this forum.

“Calvince”, a variation of “calvaire”, is a mild québécois swear word. I always look for originality in the use of words or expressions. I can’t however remember the last time I actually heard someone use it so kudos to you for digging that out from “les boules à mites.”

Quebec has the best expressions lol

My uncle Louis loves to say “Y a essayé d’nous passer un sapin » lol

As in screw someone over lol

Pull a fast one so to speak lol

 

[Runner77]

Since Suzuki is out for tomorrow does Dach center Caufield?

Couldn’t find anything about that.

 

[SlafySZN]

Since Suzuki is out for tomorrow does Dach center Caufield?

We will see tomorrow but i would guess so

 

[WeThreeKings]

We will see tomorrow but i would guess so

It's what should be done.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Whodathunkit...So many armchair orthopods here saying he would need a wrist transplant...that he was damaged goods...would be on LTIR....would carry that bad wrist to his grave...that he could not play center if he can't take a face-off...etc. Just happy he got to play a couple of games to dispel the BS!

The days of honest debate on these boards are over. Instead we have nonsense and strawmans like yours to read. out ducking standing.

 

[Runner77]

It's what should be done.

Sounds like a line lifted from the Gospel of St. Luke.

 

[HuGort]

It’s always been a weak aspect of Dach’s game, as shown by numbers dug up by @Adam Michaels:

In Junior:
2017-18 (41%)
2018-19 (41%) - Year of his draft

In Pros:
2019-20 (34%)
2020-21 (40%) - This was after his injury at the WJC
2021-22 (33%)

You can see from the above that there was no negative impact on his faceoff percentages after his wrist injury. It’s just an aspect that he needed to work on more extensively.

Dach had the 3rd worst faceoff percentage in the league last season among those having taken 100 or more faceoffs.

So, there is nowhere for him to go but up and we have the resources to help him get there.

Big advantage if top 2 center can win draws in offensive zone. Because usually he faces defensive faceoff artist

 

[Runner77]

Quebec has the best expressions lol

My uncle Louis loves to say “Y a essayé d’nous passer un sapin » lol

As in screw someone over lol

Pull a fast one so to speak lol

The variation I’ve heard is “se faire passer un Québec . ». But, the sapin one is much more common.

I agree, Quebec French is such a colourful language and some expressions are truly special.