Forward Kirby Dach Out Long-Term
The Canadiens have suffered a setback just two games into the season, announcing Monday that Kirby Dach is out long-term. Dach was hit near the bench by former Canadien Jarred Tinordi in Saturday’s home opener, a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He left the game in the first period and did not return. The team’s spokesperson referred to his injury as “significant” and indicated that his absence will be long-term, promising more information in the coming days. However:
Initial word I’m receiving on Canadiens’ Kirby Dach is he has a torn ACL+torn MCL in his knee. There are more tests being done, and we’ll wait for Habs to officially confirm once they’re received all the info, but this puts Dach’s season at risk if it ends up being the case.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) October 16, 2023
It’s a brutal loss for the Canadiens, who struggled in all facets of the game last season, while leading the league in man-games missed. Dach himself missed 24 games with two separate injuries in the 2022-23 campaign. He scored 14 goals and added 24 assists after coming to Montreal from Chicago via trade in the summer of 2022. Dach had notched two assists in his four periods of action so far this season. Head coach Martin St-Louis thinks highly of the 22-year-old forward, made clear by his comments reported in the Montreal Gazette:
“He competes. He brings a physical aspect to the game. Not into running around and hitting guys, but into winning a lot of pucks back. He’s a guy that wins a lot of pucks, and battles, and steals pucks, and obviously, you know, great in transition. He possesses, he’s got a very elite brain.”
Also praising Dach was teammate Brendan Gallagher, telling the Gazette, “There’s just nothing you can do about that… We play a physical, contact sport. We’re going to (be) missing a really good hockey player. It’s a tough loss.”
Lineup Changes
Based on Monday morning’s practice, Alex Newhook will take Dach’s spot centering the second line. The lines were:
Caufield – Suzuki – Harvey-Pinard
Slafkovsky – Newhook – Anderson
Pearson – Monahan – Gallagher
Ylonen – Evans – Pezzetta
Montreal hosts the 1-1 Minnesota Wild at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night.
MAIN PHOTO: © David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
