Montreal has moved Kirby Dach onto its second line, and at least one longtime voice in the league thinks the Canadiens may be doing more than covering an injury.
On The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, analyst Pierre McGuire said the club is “showcasing him going forward,” adding, “I think they’re trying to expose Kirby at the highest level so that people might take an interest in him.”
The opening arrived when Ivan Demidov was ruled out for two to four weeks with a lower-body injury, a timeline the Canadiens announced on Tuesday.
Demidov, 20, had a goal and an assist in two games this season after a 62-point campaign in 82 games last year. Florian Xhekaj made his season debut in the same lineup.
Dach and Alex Newhook are now occupying top-six spots that the organization would rather treat as third-line roles, with Newhook filling in for the injured Oliver Kapanen.
Dach is 25 and carries a $3.6 million cap hit on the one-year contract he signed with Montreal in July. He is an unrestricted free agent this summer, so the next several weeks double as an audition for whatever comes next.
Last season, he managed 15 points in 37 games.
That output sits a long way from the promise attached to him when the Chicago Blackhawks selected him third overall in 2019. Injuries and inconsistent production have followed him from Chicago to Montreal, and the former top pick has been a major disappointment relative to that draft slot.
The trade chatter is not new. David Pagnotta, speaking on TheMugNHL Show, framed Montreal’s posture as willingness rather than urgency.
“I think teams know he’s available if the right package’s there. I don’t think the Montreal Canadiens are actively trying to get rid of him,” Pagnotta said. “A lot of teams do this, right; here’s some of the guys we’re willing to listen on, give us a call when you wanna get serious. I think that’s where the Canadiens are with Dach.”
Edmonton is the team most often attached to him. Frank Seravalli reported in late September that the Oilers are intent on acquiring Dach, whether before the season, at the deadline, or as a free agent next summer.
“The interest in Edmonton borders on drooling,” Seravalli wrote. He also reported that clubs offered Montreal second-round picks for Dach in June, only for the Canadiens to hold out for immediate roster help instead of draft capital.
Demidov’s absence gives Dach a defined stretch in the top six.
If the production follows, Montreal can keep him or raise the price. If it does not, the shop window McGuire described may close with little more than the same familiar questions about a player drafted to be a cornerstone and still searching for a role that fits.
