Two-part offer to Kirby Dach: a choice, not an obligation

Kirby Dach has just five short days left to sign his qualifying offer ($4 million in the NHL / just over $100,000 in the AHL). Generally, a qualifying offer remains “open” until December 1, but when a player opts for arbitration, it expires on July 15 at 5:00 p.m.

I'd be surprised to see Dach sign it, since he's clearly unhappy that this offer was presented to him with a second component—the American Hockey League portion.

Note that arbitration hearings will take place from July 20 to August 1 this year. Dach's agent and Kent Hughes could, however, agree on the terms of a different contract before Dach's hearing.

Could Dach accept a one-year contract that would guarantee him $3.5 million, for example? He'd be eligible for full free agency in a year… and he'd be assured of not having to settle for playing in the American League for $100,000.

It's possible.

It should be noted, however, that if Kirby Dach truly believed in himself right now, he would have agreed to sign his qualifying offer instead. Why? Because he would have told himself, “If the Habs ever place me on waivers, another team will claim me, and I'll continue to be paid $4 million.”

Except that here, he's showing a certain doubt: the fear that the Habs might place him on waivers and no team would claim him.

It wasn't a foregone conclusion

Nicolas Cloutier confirmed early this morning that the Canadiens could have decided to qualify Kirby Dach with a single-part offer.

However, the NHL collective bargaining agreement allowed the Habs to offer a two-part contract, and Kent Hughes jumped at the opportunity.

And that is indeed the case. The Habs weren't required to offer Dach a two-part qualifying offer, but they had the option to do so because of certain clauses in the collective bargaining agreement.

But nowhere in the collective bargaining agreement does it say that the Habs couldn't submit a… https://t.co/8UIneASvLS

— Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) July 10, 2026

The verb “must” is important in the paragraph below:

It's a bit like labor standards that require an employer to offer two weeks of paid vacation to its employees; nothing prevents any company from offering five or six weeks.

Some will say that Kent Hughes simply played by the rules and that this is part of a standard negotiation process. If Dach really wants to sign a one-year contract, he's very likely to have to accept less than $4 million. Because I can't see an arbitrator telling the Habs, “You must pay him $5.5 million.”

Others will argue instead that something is “off” between the Habs and Dach… and that Kent Hughes would never have acted this way with a young player he values.

I know that Dach would like to stay in Montreal, that he'd like to be part of the amazing journey that's unfolding in the city…

But I'm far from convinced that, on their whiteboard at the CN Complex, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton see Dach in their 2027–28 lineup—seriously!

Much less in the 2030 lineup!

The next few days will be interesting for Kirby Dach, the Canadiens, the media, and the fans.

What do you think is next for Dach? How much will he earn next season?

But most importantly, will he still be a member of the Canadiens in October?