Kirby Dach's Last Game in Montreal? What's Next for the Canadiens Forward

You hate to see it end this way, but sometimes the hockey gods have a cruel sense of timing. If the whispers around the Bell Centre turn out to be true, we might have already seen Kirby Dach pull on the bleu-blanc-rouge for the very last time. And for a guy who was supposed to be a cornerstone of this rebuild, that’s a tough one for Habs fans to accept.

Let’s be real for a second—when Kent Hughes swung that deal with the Blackhawks back in 2022, sending Alexander Romanov to the Islanders to flip the picks for Kirby Dach, the city was buzzing. We were getting a former third-overall pick with size, skill, and something to prove. Someone who could grow alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield and give Montreal a legit one-two punch at centre for a decade. And for stretches, it worked. Remember that chemistry with Caufield early last season? It was electric.

The Injury Bug Just Wouldn't Go Away

But then came the knee injury in 2023, the one that wiped out almost his entire season. You could see it in his game this year—the hesitation, that half-step missing. Kirby Dach fought hard to get back, but an injury-hit season limited his impact. He’d flash that elite skill, gliding through the neutral zone, then disappear for stretches. In a market like Montreal, patience is a virtue, but it's also a luxury. When you're icing a team that's still trying to find its identity, every player’s future is under the microscope.

The Numbers Game and the Cap Crunch

Here’s where it gets tricky. Kirby Dach is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, coming off a bridge deal. He's due a pay bump—maybe not a huge one given the down year, but enough to make Hughes think twice. With Kirby Dach in the lineup, the top six feels crowded, especially with Owen Beck and Joshua Roy knocking on the door, ready to step in on cheap entry-level deals. The front office has to decide: do you invest in Kirby Dach's potential, or do you pivot, free up that cap space, and address a hole on defence or in goal?

And let’s not kid ourselves—the rumour mill has been churning non-stop. You hear his name pop up in hypotheticals involving a top-four left-shot defenceman, or maybe a package for a proven scorer. Kirby Dach at 25 years old still holds immense value around the league. GMs look at that size, that draft pedigree, and think, “Maybe a change of scenery unlocks that 70-point potential.”

What Would a Montreal Exit Look Like?

If this really was the end, it’s a bittersweet one. No playoff goodbye, no tribute video—just the quiet hum of speculation in mid-March. Here’s what the Canadiens would be losing:

• The Playmaking Centre: When Kirby Dach is on his game, he’s a zone-entry monster who creates space for his wingers like few others on this roster.
• The Physical Presence: At 6'4", he throws his weight around and can be a handful along the boards, something the Habs sometimes lack.
• The Untapped Ceiling: We haven't seen the best of Kirby Dach yet. Trading him means betting he won't reach it elsewhere—and watching him possibly flourish.

On the flip side, moving on would signal a clear direction: Martin St-Louis wants speed, tenacity, and consistency every shift. It would open a permanent spot for a younger, cheaper player and give Hughes the ammunition to make another big splash this summer.

I’ve covered this team long enough to know that in Montreal, every player is replaceable in the grand scheme, but some departures just feel heavier. Kirby Dach was more than just a player; he was a project, a comeback story we all bought into. If he has played his last game in the bleu-blanc-rouge, I’ll remember the flashes of brilliance and hope he finally puts it all together—even if it’s somewhere else. The business side of hockey is cold like that.