The relationship between Kirby Dach and the Hawks was not extraordinary, according to Renaud Lavoie

Kirby Dach’s stay in Chicago wasn’t very long.

The Blackhawks selected him third overall in the 2019 draft, which began June 21… And traded him just over three years later, on July 7, 2022.

When he arrived in Montreal, we all asked ourselves the same question. Why did the Hawks throw in the towel with a young player who is full of great qualities on the ice?

Dach never really had a chance to shine with the Hawks. Why not? Because they used him in a minimal role, and didn’t give him the chance to demonstrate his skills.

But the Hawks didn’t trade him because he wasn’t good. Renaud Lavoie was talking about it this morning on BPM Sports: you can’t trade a 3rd overall pick “just the same”.

The TVA Sports journalist talked about the relationship between Dach and the club, which didn’t seem to be very bright:

There’s one thing I can tell you. Kirby Dach’s relationship with the Blackhawks wasn’t great. And I’m not talking about his team-mates: that was no problem at all.

Did this prompt the player to taunt his former club, when he scored the winning goal in the shootout to give the Tricolore victory last season?

Kirby Dach!

He beats the Hawks with his goal! #NHL #GoHabsGo #CHpic .twitter.com/UBRkMgnuE6

– André Ménard (@samuelmj01) November 25, 2022

Sometimes, a change of scenery can be beneficial for a young player. And that’s exactly what happened to Kirby Dach after the deal that sent him to Montreal.

The sample size is small because he only played 60 games in a Tricolore uniform, but his offensive production and the importance he plays in Martin St-Louis’ line-up when healthy are good indications of just how much he needed to get out of Chicago.

There was talk of him possibly being the team’s future number-one center before he was injured at the start of the season, after all. That’s something.

So much the better, in the end, because the Habs were able to take advantage of a situation that benefits them today.

In gusto

– Nice.

Jayden Struble’s family is on its way to Anaheim for his NHL debut tomorrow.

– Eric Engels (@EricEngels) November 21, 2023

– Martin St-Louis had kind words for Brendan Gallagher.

#Habs Martin St-Louis on putting Brendan Gallagher on the top line with 14 & 15: “you know where he’s going to be, he’s going to be hard on the forecheck, he’s going to be in front of the net and I think that probably frees up Suzy and Newy to possess more in the o-zone”

– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) November 21, 2023

– Huh!