The Montreal Canadiens signed a new Kirby Dach contract this afternoon. It would be considered a bridge deal, as the 25-year-old restricted free agent avoids salary arbitration with the one-year deal at $3.6 million. Let’s discuss the deal from the Habs perspective and the player’s perspective.
Kirby Dach Contract Details Revealed by Montreal Canadiens
Dach started his NHL journey by being third overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. His big final season with the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, helped him score that high draft position. He had 25 goals, 48 assists, for 73 points in 62 games in his draft year, and played 64 for the Chicago Blackhawks the following season. So far in 306 career NHL games, he has show an ability to produce, with 51 goals, 85 assists, for 136 points.
As we have the Kirby Dach contract, he has a bit of an up-and-down career to this point, and in particular, with the Montreal Canadiens. He has been subject to various injury issues, that included only two games played in 2023-24. It has been a tumultuous time, specifically in Montreal, with respects to him being between the second and third line in the lineup, and also being subject to trade rumours, as he has failed to hit his expected marks.
Credit Image: © TNS via ZUMA Wire
Dach had been one of 15 NHLers that had originally filed for salary arbitration this season. Maybe a mock trial or two, and it isn’t hard to imagine that the players (and management) prefer to get a (long-term) contract signed. Unfortunately, this is just a one-year, bridge deal. Dach has a chance to really show his upside is something that he can achieve with consistency.
Kirby Dach 1x$3.6M #GoHabsGo
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) July 16, 2026
Dach should be able to continue to draw offensive opportunity, in a secondary role within the group containing Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, and even Alexander Zharovsky, when his call comes. However, Zharovsky is scheduled to play his final year of his contract with Ufa Salavat Yulayev of the KHL.
The Final Thought on Dach
Throughout his time in Montreal, he has played just a total of 47.0% of the regular season games with the Canadiens. Also, Hab fans would’ve wanted to see more than just five points in 10:28 of ice time during 19 games of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But this contract is about looking into the future.
This offseason will hopefully give Dach a chance to recover and get skating at 100%. If he does, adding him as a weapon to the Habs lineup, could be a difference-maker in 2026-27. And then, having him bet on himself with the one-year deal, could be big for the Fort Saskatchewan native.
Main Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
