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All right. It's done.
The Canadiens just announced that the team has agreed to the terms of a one-season contract with forward Kirby Dach.
Dach will earn $3.6 million in the 2026–27 season. The matter is now settled.
The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with forward Kirby Dach.
The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with forward Kirby Dach.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/5fz1cEvVZG
— Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) July 16, 2026
Basically, Dach decided to accept less money than his qualifying offer, but… he's signing a one-part contract for the NHL.
And we know that, fundamentally, that was his goal. But since the Canadiens' qualifying offer was a two-part deal, it complicated things a bit… and that's why he decided to go to arbitration.
But with the player's signature, the two sides ultimately avoided arbitration.
It's also important to note that Dach will have the opportunity to test the free-agent market next summer.
He'll become an unrestricted free agent… and he'll be free to sign with whichever team he wants (assuming, of course, that the Canadiens are ready to move on from him).
That said, Dach is banking on the fact that he needs to have a big season to increase his value next year. He's seen the contracts signed in the NHL this summer, and if he can stay healthy and put points on the board, he'll give himself a shot at cashing in.
And for those reasons, this might just be the most important season of his career.
It's worth noting that there's also a scenario in which Dach could be traded before the next trade deadline… but we'll see when the time comes.
For now, the important thing is to know that the matter is no longer sitting on Kent Hughes's desk.
Extension
Kirby Dach has talent, and that's no secret.
He wasn't selected third overall in the 2019 draft just because he's good-looking: we're talking about a guy who has the skills to be truly creative on offense.
But we know he's also struggled with health issues in recent years.
If he can stay healthy and show what he's made of over an 82-game season, it could—and I emphasize could—perhaps lead to an interesting outcome…
