Expectations were high when Kent Hughes acquired Kirby Dach in 2022. But after some encouraging signs, and especially an injury that hurt his confidence, it’s fair to say things are no longer going well for the 23-year-old forward.
Many are frustrated with Dach’s performance and have already given up on him.
One of those people is former NHL coach Michel Therrien.
Kirby Dach is shopping to win a green jacket
We all know Therrien isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He proved it once again during one of his appearances on JiC on TVA Sports.
Former Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien is starting to get fed up with Kirby Dach.
According to the outspoken coach, Kirby Dach isn’t working to improve his situation but rather to win the prestigious Green Jacket awarded annually to the winner of the Masters Tournament in the PGA.
The point of this analogy: to highlight how disastrous the forward’s -21 plus-minus rating is.
“He’s aiming for the green jacket, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to win it. He’s working so hard for it.”
– Michel Therrien
As a former coach, Therrien couldn’t help but put himself in Martin St-Louis’ shoes.
“I don’t see any improvement in Dach’s turnovers.
It must be frustrating for a coach to see a player make the same mistakes over and over.
David Savard has to block shots on the penalty kill because of these careless plays.”
Indeed, Dach is often very careless with his passes, which frequently leads to turnovers favoring the opposing team.
Martin St-Louis’ patience with Kirby Dach is wearing thin
Last week, during the game between the Canadiens and the Nashville Predators, Martin St-Louis finally lost patience with his player.
The 23-year-old center was benched for a good part of the third period and played less than 13 minutes total.
The arrival of Patrik Laine in the lineup changes the dynamic.
With the Finn in the lineup, the head coach is no longer obligated to place Dach on the power play by default.
It will be interesting to see how Martin St-Louis manages Kirby Dach’s ice time in upcoming games.
