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At the start of the season, I wrote about how the Canadiens’ start to the season could be difficult. And while the Habs are exciting, you can’t say I’m completely in the zone.
After all, against Pittsburgh and Boston, the Habs looked bad, and the first period of the Ottawa game was disjointed. Against Toronto? The club won because Samuel Montembeault made 48 saves. That’s 48 shots on goal.
Let’s face it, there are positives too, but if you look at the Flanelle, it’s not easy.
One of the reasons I said it wouldn’t be easy was that Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine (I wrote this before Laine’s injury, of course) were coming back from a long absence.
Having Dach and Laine on a second line meant accepting that the top-6 wouldn’t be perfect at the start of the season.
Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine, the two big “additions” to the forward line (…), will need time to readjust.
Both guys are coming back from injury and it would be unfair to ask them to produce from the start of the season. – Charles-Alexis Brisebois
And clearly, that’s what we’re experiencing with Kirby Dach, who has already doubled his number of games played compared to last season: he’s struggling a bit.
It’s normal: he’s coming back from injury. And Martin St-Louis knows it.
“It’ll come with Dacher, I’m not worried”(@NCloutierTVA) https://t.co/TzFXOhjtXd
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) October 15, 2024
As reported by TVA Sports’ Nicolas Cloutier, the coach knows that the forward needs to get back into game shape. He also knows that recreating the regular-season environment can’t be done without playing real games.
But right now, we’re not seeing that. And like I said, that’s normal.
But I can see him being very committed physically. It’ll come with Dacher, I’m not worried. – Martin St-Louis on Kirby Dach’s game
Could this mean a change of line for Dach, who plays with Alex Newhook and Joel Armia? Perhaps, yes. Martin St-Louis hasn’t closed the door on changing the formula.
He’ll evaluate it,” he says.
MSL on the Dach line:
“It’s a line where all three players are good. We’ll continue to evaluate if it’s a unit that can work.”
– Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) October 15, 2024
I’ve said before that I wouldn’t mind seeing Cole Caufield or Juraj Slafkovsky play Kirby Dach. But I don’t know if Martin St-Louis wants to destroy his first line.
Could a bottom-6 player ride with Dach? That’s probably on the table too. Could sending the big forward to the wing help him get back into the swing of things?
I don’t get the feeling that changes are imminent. However, at some point, if the pilot feels that playing with someone else can help #77, it’s going to be an option on the table.
Overtime
– Speaking of the Canadiens’ start to the season.
After four games in six nights to start, a look at the state of some of the questions that were facing the Canadiens entering the season: https: //t.co/wSVVs4GLNd
– Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) October 15, 2024
– Big transaction.
It’s a conditional 3rd rounder going to the #Raiders that can become a 2nd rounder based on performance.
(Fixed for clarity). https://t.co/2eFVyYkbyj
– Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 15, 2024
