Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has made his splash. The Canadiens have dealt defenseman Alexander Romanov and pick 98 to the New York Islanders for the 13th pick. They then sent pick 13 and 66 to Chicago for center Kirby Dach. The teams have all announced the trades.
This is an absolute whopper of a three-team deal. The Blackhawks, who already acquired a first-rounder earlier today, add a second top-fifteen pick in exchange for Dach, the third-overall pick in 2019. They also add the 66th pick as part of the deal as well. For Chicago, this is another move for Kyle Davidson in his quest to add more long-term future assets. Dach was a promising prospect but a mix of injuries and underperformance is what has led to this trade. The Blackhawks, who entered today with no first round picks, have now amassed a small stockpile of picks in very short order.
For the Islanders, GM Lou Lamoriello adds a young defenseman who plays the sort of highly physical, rugged game that the Islanders covet. Romanov, 22, was a second-rounder at the 2018 draft and already has 133 NHL games to his name. His offensive upside is still up for debate, but he has played an increasingly important role in Montreal and should step into the Islanders defense and play immediately. There were defensemen set to be available at thirteenth overall, but Lamoriello and the Islanders seemingly preferred a more NHL-ready option with that pick.
In Dach, the Canadiens add a player who only a few years ago was the third-overall pick. Dach is a big center who starred for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, scoring 72 points in 62 games in his final season there. Dach has struggled in the NHL, perhaps a signal that he should have spent more time developing in Saskatoon before making the transition to the professional game. Dach has 59 points in 152 games and it could be that a change of scenery is exactly what he needs to get his career back on track. It’s a major risk for the Canadiens, as they’re spending a top-fifteen pick on a player who has thus far struggled to be a difference-maker at the NHL level. That being said, if the Canadiens’ evaluation of Dach is correct, they could be adding the type of big, top-six center that is coveted by most GMs and unlikely to be available to them at pick 13.
I thought for sure Montreal was picking up number 4 and taking Wright.
Lol yea me to
I think the Isles came out of this the best
WOW
Even the ESPN crew has nothing good to say about Dach. Lol.
Dach is trash what a miss
So Davidson lost the Debrincat trade and won the Dach trade. So he’s 1-1. The Hawks would kill for that record next year. Tyler Johnson might be the next to want out. Maybe Kane.
They want Bedard next year
Habs easily won the dach trade, the best thing that happened to dach was getting out of that mess in Chicago he will be a very good 2nd line center
You start a rebuild with Kirby Dach? Lol. He’s a first round bust so far. Nice move Montreal. Dach Is way overvalued.
Dach is way undervalued it what most around the nhl say soooooo………..lol i love armchair scouts that clearly have no idea what they are talking about
Absolutely terrible trade for Montreal. They need defense more than a 3rd line center. Dach couldn’t even perform with Kane and DeBrincat
These moves by Chicago are also a way for Toews and Kane to ask out of Chicago which Is exactly what management Is hoping for.
Nobody wants Toews. He’s stuck there. Kane is a different story
Jeez The Hawks now have 2 firsts, 3 seconds and 4 thirds. Could draft a whole new roster this weekend. If Davidson is any good at it I mean.
Not sure this is such a bad trade for Montreal ? Dach looked good before he broke his wrist, then the shortened pandemic season, a change of scenery could work out for Dach. Only time will tell
Dach could improve but it shouldn’t be at center. Absolutely terrible on faceoffs. Gave up a ton for a future middle six RW.
A number 4 dman? Lol have you seen the habs d prospects? Deepest in the nhl and its not close
A first AND a high third rounder for Kirby F’n Dach?? Ahahahahahahaha!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Swear to heaven, Marc Bergevin must be giggling in his can of Molson’s right now.
Lolololo your kidding right? Dach is going to be a great 2nd line center its pretty obvious you haven’t seen him play much getting out of that mess in Chicago is the best thing that happened to him
You ought to cut back on smoking weed before you post. Dach’s gotten eighteen minutes a night to demonstrate that he sucks. In 152 career games he has 19 goals. He wins less than a third of his faceoffs, which is the worst of any center in the league by a LOT. His defensive metrics suck as well. He doesn’t particularly hit, he doesn’t block shots, and the best you can say about his playmaking is that he racks up a decent number of assists for a fourth-liner. His shooting percentage is consistent … and bad.
I don’t know what you possibly see in him other than I suppose he’s got a nice smile.
Sometimes and its been proven in the past that a change for some players drafted fairly high turn things around with the proper discipline and structure so we will just have to wait and see.
And it’s also been proven, time and again, that players who are draft busts keep on being busts no matter how often they’re traded. Olli Juolevi’s played for three teams in the last 41 games. Six other guys from the 2016 draft have played less than a season of NHL hockey. So have five guys from 2015. So have five from 2014 … and that’s not counting non-immortals like Michael Dal Colle and Haydn Fleury, both of them top 10 picks from that year. And so on.
You’re a pessimistic turd. Dach is like 21, he has time to figure it out