Player Discussion Kirby Dach: Welcome to Montreal

[River Meadow]

Both had great rookie years and regressed afterwards due to injury. Dach is better playmaker but KK has the better shot. It's much closer than you think.

Give me a big Canadian C over Bambi any day of the week tho.

 

[SOLR]

I agree but can you expand on that?

The younger you are, generally, the more you can recover and bounce back from injuries.

Is this along the lines of thought you're thinking?

It tends to be a long healing journey injury, if you are younger you can get over the hump much faster. I'm sure the Habs did their homeworks with the Hawks on this.

Hughes did tell us a couple of months ago that they do not necessarily want to have all their assets in the form of 2022 and 2023 draftees, but also wanted younger guys with NHYL experience.

Dach fills that bill, but so did Romanov. I do agree that Dach has the bigger upside of the two.

I also agree that Dach is a better bet than KK was a year ago, and we paid a bit less than we lost KK for.

GMing in the cap world of the NHL is all about asset management and player evaluation. I think the asset management is well done. But did they bet on the right horse? There is a fair chance they did, but this is where time will tell the tale.

At that price there was probably no 2nd horse like this.

 

[Engelwood]

But San Jose traded 11 for 27, 34, and 45.

So we could have had Dach, via 26, 33, and something else, for San Jose's 11, instead of giving up a young established top 4 D on an upward trajectory to possibly be more.

For Romanov to move past being a number 4 Dman on any decent team he would have to figure out offensive hockey. He did not even show flashes of offensive hockey in his first 3 years.....what makes you think he would have in the near future. He will always be the better skating version of Emelin.

 

[26Mats]

For Romanov to move past being a number 4 Dman on any decent team he would have to figure out offensive hockey. He did not even show flashes of offensive hockey in his first 3 years.....what makes you think he would have in the near future. He will always be the better skating version of Emelin.

better skating and better positional/hockey IQ version of Emelin, perhaps.
But that's a very solid top 4 dman.

I would respectfully disagree that you have to have high offense to be a good top 4 damn.
And for Romanov's offensive upside, I like his vision on the ice. The more comfortable he got, we may have seen more offense - in the McDonagh mold.

KK can never get his shot off on time but yes Dach's shot is a flaw. Athleticism alone Dach is much better which is what's holding KK back so much.

Hopefully Dach's playmaking ability will be enough to carve out a career playing with scorers of the likes of Caufield, Slafkovsky, Roy, Farrell, Kidney, and whoever else we can add.

Maybe he's even a good enough playmaker to play with Josh Anderson. Anderson is the type that needs to either beeline to the net with the puck, or give the puck to a playmaker on his line and head to the net or open space. Pacioretty became very good at that, and was useless when we erroneously let Radulov go and brought in Drouin to be his playmaker.

 

[Toene]

For Romanov to move past being a number 4 Dman on any decent team he would have to figure out offensive hockey. He did not even show flashes of offensive hockey in his first 3 years.....what makes you think he would have in the near future. He will always be the better skating version of Emelin.

At the wjc he was pp qb for Russia and he walked the blue-line with ease and had a strong yet deceptive shot. I think he can be a legit powerplay option.

 

[ottawa]

Of course I have and he isn't that good. Why would a rebuilding team like Chicago jettison a 21 year old 6'4 RH center?
He showed good things in his rookie year (clearly rushed) and has regressed since.

The same reason they'd trade a 24 year old 40 goal scorer...like come on, when's the last time that happened?

Nothing Chicago did today made any sense. Them trading a 21yo kid doesn't make him a bust.

 

[Kimota]

I would I have kept the 13th. I mean you had Nazar, Savoie, Kemell, Lekkeräki, Yurov, etc... available. But if Dach can become the promising player I saw at his draft year, we could have something on our hands. Plus we needed a center for now.

 

[ottawa]

I would I have kept the 13th. I mean you had Nazar, Savoie, Kemell, Lekkeräki, Yurov, etc... available. But if Dach can become the promising player I saw at his draft year, we could have something on our hands. Plus we needed a center for now.

Look at the last 13th overalls. Only one of them hit in the last 10 years (not counting the recent ones that aren't in the NHL, too soon).

And the only one that hit is actually on our team right now.

The choice between a center with 150 games under his belt and a 13th overall isn't hard for me. Go with the kid that is a 3C with the potential to grow into a top 6.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Look at the last 13th overalls. Only one of them hit in the last 10 years (not counting the recent ones that aren't in the NHL, too soon).

And the only one that hit is actually on our team right now.

The choice between a center with 150 games under his belt and a 13th overall isn't hard for me. Go work the kid that is a 3C with the potential to grow into a top 6.

I like Dach, but it is definitely put up or shut up time for him.

I think I would take Lekkerimäki over him, let's see how that call turns out for me.

 

[ottawa]

I like Dach, but it is definitely put up or shut up time for him.

I think I would take Lekkerimäki over him, let's see how that call turns out for me.

Well you're on record. Just try to remember this 5 years from now so you can look back to see if you ended up being right!

 

[NotProkofievian]

Well you're on record. Just try to remember this 5 years from now so you can look back to see if you ended up being right!

As a habs fan I hope I'm laughably incorrect.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Literally the best young center we've had since Koivu in terms of potential.

 

[TopTenPlayz]

Literally the best young center we've had since Koivu in terms of potential.

When was the last time a gamble like this worked? Ppl said if KK got out of Mtl, he'd explode. Didn't happen. Same with Galchenyuk. I don't remember a 20 pts player for 3 straight seasons exploding and becoming a perennial all star just because he got traded to a new team.

 

[Belial]

When was the last time a gamble like this worked? Ppl said if KK got out of Mtl, he'd explode. Didn't happen. Same with Galchenyuk. I don't remember a 20 pts player for 3 straight seasons exploding and becoming a perennial all star just because he got traded to a new team.

We're due for a f***ing good story, aren't we!?

 

[Kojo]

When was the last time a gamble like this worked? Ppl said if KK got out of Mtl, he'd explode. Didn't happen. Same with Galchenyuk. I don't remember a 20 pts player for 3 straight seasons exploding and becoming a perennial all star just because he got traded to a new team.

Who said that KK would magically become better outside of montreal? I remember we said he should play more but instead he signed the offer sheet and played even less.

 

[BenchBrawl]

When was the last time a gamble like this worked? Ppl said if KK got out of Mtl, he'd explode. Didn't happen. Same with Galchenyuk. I don't remember a 20 pts player for 3 straight seasons exploding and becoming a perennial all star just because he got traded to a new team.

1st season 23 pts in 64 games, played 14 min TOI
2nd season 10 pts in 18 games, massive injury
3rd season 26 pts in 70 games, -18, team is an absolute clusterf*** top to bottom

Now 21 years old.

Worth a shot. What have we lost anyway? Who cares about Romanov? He was basically Craig Rivet. Not bad, not great. It doesn't matter. This is a gamble you have to make.

3rd overall 6'4'' 21 years old centers stuck in a bad environment don't grow on trees on the trade market, and we got one for a #4 defenseman.

 

[tooji]

2012 #3: Galchenyuk
2013 #3: Drouin
2018 #3: Kotkaniemi
2019 #3: Dach

2016 #3: PLD

At some point one of these 3OV picks has to pan out

 

[RealityBytes]

What if Price decides to play? Cap is tight with only $1.92M, not room to do much.

Dach is an RFA but his bad numbers should let Hughes get him for close to minimum so that may have come in as a factor to get him. Also, so then where does some of all those draft picks go?

Looks like another year of trying to tank to try and get Bedard, and also the Rockets will get/keep a lot of draft picks.

 

[KevSkillz4]

We didn't trade the 13th + Romanov for Kirby Dach

We traded Romanov + the 98th for the 13th

We then traded the 13th and 66th for Kirby Dach



We essentially traded Romanov, the 66th, and 98th for Kirby Dach.

It's a big W for Habs.

I really like Romanov, but trading him for a potential top 6 C like Kirby Dach, it's huge.

I'm a big fan of Kirby Dach... great hands, great skating, he need to become a better shooter, but yeah... he is only 21 years old and Habs have better department at development.

Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Dach... that's very good to have on forward group, no doubt about that!

 

[Belial]

What if Price decides to play? Cap is tight with only $1.92M, not room to do much.

Dach is an RFA but his bad numbers should let Hughes get him for close to minimum so that may have come in as a factor to get him. Also, so now where does some of those draft picks go?

Looks like another year of trying to tank to try and get Bedard, and also the Rockets will get/keep a lot of draft picks.

Decides to play? He's gonna play, at least that's the last info we got...

 

[HostileCapSpace]

Hawks fan here. Dach is an enigma. The skill is undoubtedly there. Surprisingly good skater. One can make the argument he was rushed, then broke his wrist, and that he’s still so young and a victim of circumstances. On the flip side, he has a terrible shot, really doesn’t use his big body to his advantage, and doesn’t show much inclination to, which gets really frustrating. Also leaves himself way too vulnerable, taking colossal hits. Derek King in not so many words questioned Dach’s heart. Also terrible at faceoffs. A number of Chicago fans had given up on him. Others, like myself, weren’t quite there, but it’s put up or shut up time.

Seems like a nice kid, and I hope he works out well for you. Will be interesting.

That's my assessment also. Bad shot and bad shooting percentage that's been consistent in all his seasons so very little chance of improvement, terrible faceoffs numbers. But he's big and he skates, but he doesn't hit or use his size. Hurray!

Here goes Suzuki taking all the defensive zone faceoffs for the next two years if they trade Dvorak. Will be just marvellous.

At this point I'm kind of hoping the rumours of PLD to Montreal in two years are true as it would salvage this move... and next year's draft also.

 

[Belial]

That's my assessment also. Bad shot and bad shooting percentage that's been consistent in all his seasons so very little chance of improvement, terrible faceoffs numbers. But he's big and he skates, but he doesn't hit. Hurray!

Here goes Suzuki taking all the defensive zone faceoffs for the next two years if they trade Dvorak. Will be just marvellous.

At this point I'm kind of hoping the rumours of PLD to Montreal in two years are true as it would salvage this move... and next year's draft also.

That's why they'll not trade Dvorak yet.

 

[HostileCapSpace]

That's why they'll not trade Dvorak yet.

Perhaps, I was just going with the rumours. With Suz and Dach I'd rather they keep Dvorak around for at least one year.

 

[Wats]

Would want him to start the year in AHL and actually produce offense in a league for the first time in 3+ years. Maybe on a line with Staff.

 

[dcyhabs]

I like Dach, but it is definitely put up or shut up time for him.

I think I would take Lekkerimäki over him, let's see how that call turns out for me.

He’ll turn 22 this year. Give him 2 years to find some offence.