“Kirby Dach will have to play on a third line”.

Kirby Dach has played in all 14 of the Canadiens’ games so far this season.

He’s picked up at least one point in four of those games… And he’s been blanked from the scoresheet ten times.

That’s not what you want from a top-6 player on your team.

We know he’s come a long way from his injury, and even before the season started, we were saying it would be a long time before he was back to 100%.

But it’s not just been difficult for Dach over the last few games: it’s simply atrocious.

You can feel that his confidence is shaken, and that’s normal since the results aren’t there. Offensive players have to produce to gain confidence, and that’s not the case for #77 at the moment.

Renaud Lavoie spoke about the main player this morning on the radio(BPM Sports)… And according to him, Dach needs to be taken out of the top-6 right now, because playing against the best opposing players isn’t helping him.

So, what’s the solution? Dach needs to play on the third line to regain his confidence:

Kirby Dach can’t play on a first line, and Kirby Dach can’t play on a second line. Kirby Dach will have to play on a third line if he wants to make it. – Renaud Lavoie

The TVA Sports journalist goes on to say that Dach could also play on the fourth line, but with powerplay time and third line minutes.

Again, the goal is to boost his confidence:

Renaud Lavoie has been pretty clear about Kirby Dach’s performance so far this season…

All the details HEREhttps://t.co/eXflSVUDL1 pic.twitter.com/CgcJMTZbiO

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) November 8, 2024

Is this the ideal solution?

Actually, I’m asking because you have to wonder if it could have an impact on his confidence. Seeing that he’s dropping down the lineup, maybe it could create an opposite effect as well… And we know that he’s already had problems at that level when he played in Chicago.

But ultimately, I agree with Renaud Lavoie: things have to change. There has to be a spark somewhere, otherwise the Canadiens are in danger of losing him in his development (which was going great before his injury, by the way).

Martin St-Louis has to try to help him in the best possible way, and that may not happen by playing against the best opposing trios.

On the other hand… Dach needs wingers to perform and it’s not by playing with Joel Armia or Josh Anderson that he’ll start producing like crazy.

All this to say that it’s complicated for Dach on the top-6… And that it’s starting to be time to think about other solutions.

That’s just one of the (many) problems Martin St-Louis has on his hands.

Overtime

– Wow!

THE MICHIGAN by a defenseman Magomed Sharakanov pic.twitter.com/lrJJbvH0eB

– KHL (@khl_eng) November 8, 2024

– Love this.

After almost 20 years in the NHL together, a first for Ovi and Sid

Catch tonight’s matchup of two legends who are still at the top of their game!

: 7:30 PM ET, ESPN+/Hulu pic.twitter.com/HZimBM1SIf

– ESPN (@espn) November 8, 2024