Kirby Dach knew the Chicago Blackhawks were headed for rebuilding mode.
What he didn’t know was that he wasn’t part of the team’s plan.
The Blackhawks traded Dach to the Montreal Canadiens for a pair of picks on Thursday. The 21-year-old center said he found out about the news about five minutes before it was announced on the floor of the NHL’s entry-level draft.
“I was actually on my way to the rink to skate,” Dach told reporters in a video call on Friday. “So it’s a bit of a shock, but I’m excited to be in Montreal. It’s a big city. I love to play there. I can’t wait to have the fans on my side cheering us on.”
Selected third overall by Chicago in the 2019 draft, expectations were high for Dach as he embarked on his NHL career. However, he was hampered by injuries, including a broken wrist that limited the striker to just 18 games in the 2020-21 campaign.
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Last season, Dach had nine goals and 17 assists in 70 games.
The Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., native feels he has more to show for Canadians.
“I feel like I’m pretty offensive and smart with the puck and I can make plays. But I’m also a reliable two-way center who’s big and strong in the middle of the ice, who skates well and can make plays,” he said. “And I feel like Montreal is a place where I can flourish with that.”
The last few seasons have been full of disappointments for the Blackhawks. Now, Chicago appears intent on dismantling its roster in favor of a full rebuild.
The club also traded star forward Alex DeBrincat on Thursday, sending him to the Ottawa Senators for three picks, including the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft.
Management has been candid with the players about their plans, Dach said.
“We knew we were going to rebuild there and things like that. But they were very open and honest with us about those things. And they obviously felt like they needed to go in a different direction than (DeBrincat) and I did,” she said.
“It is a business. There is nothing more than that. You have to keep going and I have a great opportunity in front of me in Montreal. I am beyond excited to get things underway and start the next chapter of my career.”
While Dach described his time in Chicago as “full of ups and downs,” he said his first three seasons in the NHL have also provided many lessons.
“I was a young guy walking into an older locker room and I was able to learn a lot about the professional lifestyle and what it really takes to play in this league and be a good player at a consistent level each and every night. he said. “And I definitely carry those qualities with me and try to improve myself every day.”
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