OTTAWA | Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach changed addresses the same day. At 24 and 21, they were expected to represent the future of the Chicago Blackhawks, but Kyle Davidson didn’t have the same vision.
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Davidson, the young general manager, added a stage or two to the reconstruction of the Hawks by trading DeBrincat to the Senators and Dach to the Canadiens on July 7, the evening of the first round of the draft at the Bell Centre.
With DeBrincat, the Senators have acquired one of the NHL’s top scorers, while Dach will look to build his own reputation with the CH.
The third overall pick in the 2019 draft, Dach has yet to live up to the expectations placed on him. A few hours before a preseason game between CH and the Senators, DeBrincat spoke about his teammate of the last three seasons in Chicago.
In the eyes of the small right winger, there is no doubt that Dach has the tools necessary to succeed in the NHL.
“He’s got all the skills in the world,” DeBrincat said. Kirby is also a big center and he’s not afraid to use his body. He’s got so much talent, he can generate a lot of offense. I can’t wait to see him play this year. I believe he will have his chance in Montreal. »
bad luck
DeBrincat didn’t just throw words in the air. Last year in Chicago, the Michigan-born winger played just under 343 minutes five-on-five with Dach. Of all the Hawks forwards, only Patrick Kane (725 mins) and Dylan Strome (566 mins) have spent more time on the icy surface alongside Dach.
A few days ago, captain Jonathan Toews argued that Dach didn’t get a real chance in Chicago.
Without going with such a strong statement, the Senators player also abounded in the same direction.
“Kirby is still super young,” DeBrincat said. He had bad luck with the Hawks. He broke his wrist and he’s been out for almost a year. »
“Sometimes you need a change of scenery,” he continued. I wish him to play well with the Canadian and to show what type of player he is. I saw him every day in practice with the Hawks and I know he has talent. He also wants to be one of the best players on the ice. »
In his final season in Chicago, DeBrincat scored 41 goals and had 78 points. The 5-foot-7, 165-pound winger hit the 40-goal mark for the second time in his career.
New start
Dach was far from DeBrincat’s numbers with 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) in 70 games.
“I’m excited to get a fresh start,” Dach said during the first days of camp. I want to establish myself as a good center in the NHL, a responsible player on 200 feet. I will also have the chance to play for a good coach in Marty [Martin St-Louis], a guy who marked the history of the league. »
Kent Hughes also showed his confidence in him by signing him to a four-year, $13.45 million contract (3.362 million on average per year) two months after being acquired.
In Montreal, Dach will feel the pressure of a trade that cost defenseman Alexander Romanov, but he will no longer have the responsibility of rescuing big names like Toews and Kane with the Blackhawks.
“It wasn’t too hard to juggle expectations in Chicago, I won’t use that as an excuse,” Dach said. It didn’t work for me with the Hawks and now I want to take my chance with the Canadiens. »