If there’s one player Montreal Canadiens fans are hoping will be ready to start the season on time, it’s clearly Kirby Dach.
The 24-year-old is yet to finish a complete season since joining the Canadiens in 2021-22, a situation that is surely weighing heavily on his mind. Three consecutive season-ending injuries have robbed Dach of precious playing time, and though it’s less important in the grand scheme of things, it has also left a rather significant gap in the roster, particularly the second-line centre role.
It remains to be seen if Dach can find his rhythm after his latest injury, but there is some good news in that department. According to Jeff Gorton, Dach hasn’t just recovered from his knee injury, the organization is aiming to have him in the lineup once the regular season opens on October 8, versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“He looks great,” explained Gorton. “He feels great, he’s healthy. We have a plan in place to have him ready for opening night. So, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
It must be noted that Gorton stopped short from suggesting Dach is guaranteed to start the season on time, a wise approach considering the range of motion required by the knee, and the potential for a setback while attempting to recover from yet another surgery.
Even if Dach does manage to play the first game of the regular season, he will need a relatively lengthy runway to remove some of the rust that has accumulated since his last NHL game, which took place on February 22.
With that in mind, if Dach does feel comfortable enough to play, and gets the green light from the medical staff, both fans and head coach Martin St-Louis will rest a little easier, as he represents the best internal option to solidify the second line, likely alongside the team’s top prospect, Ivan Demidov.
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