Fort Saskatchewan's Kirby Dach impresses at Canadiens camp after injury-plagued run
The Alberta-born forward shifted to right wing during a training camp scrimmage as Montreal sorts out its lineup ahead of the season.
Kirby Dach, a forward from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., drew attention at Montreal Canadiens training camp on Thursday after moving into right wing alongside Juraj Slafkovsky and Oliver Kapanen during an end-of-practice scrimmage. The 25-year-old had earlier been centering a line with Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Texier, a role taken over by Alex Newhook that day, as coaches continue testing his versatility at both centre and wing.
Dach is trying to establish himself in the lineup after a run of injuries limited him to just 154 of a possible 328 games since Montreal acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks four years ago. He said this off-season allowed him to fully recover ahead of camp, calling it a relief to arrive healthy rather than managing lingering issues.
Head coach Martin St. Louis said his focus with Dach is on staying alert and playing a complete, 200-foot game rather than dwelling on what injuries may have cost his development. Dach signed a new one-year, US$3.6-million contract in July and said he is committed to reliable, defensively sound play that supports his linemates.
Elsewhere at Thursday's practice, St. Louis put the team through an extra skating drill after feeling the group lacked energy, and forward Ivan Demidov missed a second straight session while receiving treatment for a foot injury sustained in Monday's preseason game against Ottawa.
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