October 22, 2024 | 10:36am ET
By David Calabretta, TheFourthPeriod.com
EYES ON DACH, ST. LOUIS THIS SEASON IN MONTREAL
Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
Kirby Dach, centre
MONTREAL, QC — The Montreal Canadiens have one goal this season and that is to play meaningful hockey games near the end of the season, a change of pace compared to what has taken place in previous years.
With six games under their belt to start the 2024-25 campaign, there are a lot of questions and uncertainties yet to be answered as the Canadiens’ season unfolds.
Last season, the Canadiens had a record of 5-2-2 in their first seven games, an impressive record for a so-called rebuilding team, however this year when the tide needs to be turned on the quest of “being in the mix,” the Habs haven’t started the season on the right foot.
The Canadiens are currently 2-3-1, with Game 7 of 82 coming tonight at home against the New York Rangers, and despite collecting five points out of 12, the Habs have just not been good enough.
Yes, we have witnessed some early bright spots, led by sniper Cole Caufield, who has found his rhythm with some special magic wearing his hero Johnny Gaudreau’s No.13, however the bulk of the team has been disappointing out of the gate, raising many questions around Montreal.
How much time will it take for Kirby Dach to find his game?
Canadiens centre Kirby Dach is back this season after suffering a torn ACL during the 2023-24 home opener versus the Chicago Blackhawks, and while all is well health wise, it may take more time than expected for No.77 to get back into the player he was prior to his injury.
Keep in mind, a knee injury is one of the worst injuries a hockey player can go through, and while it was pointed out that the 23-year-old could’ve played some games to end the season in Montreal last year, management felt there was no need to risk it, and decided it would be better for him to sit and prepare for the following season.
So far, it’s clear that it will take time for the pivot to regain the confidence he had prior to his injury, with just one point in his first six games this season. Production aside, his play seems slower, with a lack of awareness when on the ice. Dach, has a minus-8 to date, and it may not him being the one struggling, with both his linemates Alex Newhook and Joel Armia having rough starts to their year, as well.
And like head coach Martin St. Louis said at the beginning of the season, he anticipated a minor setback for Dach and expects things to take time.
“It's been a while since they’ve played, and it’s not easy to play in the NHL. When you’ve lost time, it’s hard to come back,” St. Louis said on the third day of training camp. “They’re players who have high expectations of themselves, so I’ve got to manage that day-to-day and remind them to relax, be patient.”
With Patrik Laine out of action, Dach recently began practicing with captain Nick Suzuki and Caufield, a line that has worked in the past, leading to some of his best games played since arriving in Montreal – perhaps a way for him starting to find his game.
In the case of this 23-year-old, there is no set timeline as to when he’ll find his stride again, it can be 10 games or take a whole season, but this problem can hinder the Canadiens’ goal to be playing meaningful hockey post-trade deadline. With Dach penciled in as the club’s No.2 centre, if he does not take those reigns, it poses more questions for GM Kent Hughes and management as they navigate next off-season.
When will the Injury Bug leave Montreal?
Injuries have spread like wire fires to start the season once again in Montreal with defencemen Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle suffering injuries against the LA Kings on Thursday night.
The Canadiens have been the team with the most man lost games for the last three seasons, and without a healthy team, it’s going to be hard for the Habs to stay in the mix past the trade deadline. While nothing has been clarified regarding the severity of those injuries, any long-term setback, on top of the loss of Patrik Laine, can seriously harm the team’s goal this season.
Last year, it took two games for Montreal to lose a key piece in Dach. On top of this, they lost Alex Newhook for a significant amount of time with a sprained ankle, Arber Xhekaj as well with an injury. The Canadiens haven’t played a season in the last three years with all their guys healthy.
Is pressure mounting for Head Coach Martin St. Louis?
This season will be St. Louis’ biggest test as bench boss of the Montreal Canadiens since being hired in 2022. When he was first brought on, the goal was to see development in his players. This year, the goal is to win meaningful games and see the young core in Montreal take the next step.
Three seasons ago, the Habs finished with 55 points on the campaign. In 2022-23, they improved to 68 points. Last season, they wrapped things up with 76 points.
Is an 85-point campaign a good enough improvement to keep the momentum of this rebuild going and give this club enough ammunition to take the next steps in the summer? Is St. Louis the guy to guide them there?
It’s important to keep in mind that St.Louis is also learning how to become a top tier head coach in the National Hockey League, and he himself has admitted so.
“When I don’t have the answers, I know I work hard to try to find them,” he told reporters during training camp last month. “I like the staff, I like the engagement of everyone. I don’t think it’s just all my actions, I think it’s everybody around me – including the players – and I think we’re all growing together right now and we’re all after the same thing.”
While the playoffs are a long shot, some sort of improvement in the standings position must be made. The Montreal native even mentioned how he wants to step into the “hard coaching” this season and make tough decisions of his own regarding his squad. While I wouldn’t say his future is in jeopardy if the Canadiens have a disappointing season, the expectations have surely risen as the team looks to take the next big step heading into 2025-26. This year can be a good test to determine if he’s the man for the long-term job.