The Montreal Canadiens received good news as they prepare to enter the 2025-26 campaign. Kirby Dach has played in just 59 games in the past two campaigns, missing time due to injury. Dach was recently spotted on the ice recovering from a knee injury that cut his 2024-25 season short. Now, Jeff Gorton has told Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports that Dach is on track to be available for the opening night tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Dach is now in his fourth season with the Habs. He was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks for a draft pick. The former third overall pick broke out in the 2022-23 season with the Canadiens, lighting the lamp 14 times and adding 24 assists, which was good for a career high of 38 points. In 2023-24, he played in just two games with two assists before tearing his ACL and MCL. Then, the Canadian center played in 57 games in 2024-25, scoring ten goals and adding 12 helpers before going down with his next injury.
Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports that he will be able to participate in training camp, although in a modified capacity, when camp opens this week. Still, for a team that has playoff aspirations and more, bringing back its second-line center to start the season is a big move.
The Canadiens need Dach healthy and hungry
Dach was producing at a rate of 54 points per 84 games before injuring his right knee twice in two years. That has dropped to a 33-point pace since. The Canadiens need production from the second line. With a strong top line holding Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky, the Canadiens need to have a strong second line. Currently, Zack Bolduc and Ivan Demidov expect to fill it out.
The Canadiens made the playoffs in 2024-25, losing in the first round to the Washington Capitals without Dach in the lineup. Now, with Dach returning, plus the addition of Noah Dobson, the Candiens want to be contenders this upcoming year. Montreal hopes to break the streak of teams from Canada failing to win a Stanley Cup. The return of Dach is the first step towards breaking that streak.
