Kirby Dach Bio
Kirby Dach is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, he entered professional hockey at eighteen and quickly became known for his size, playmaking ability, and poise with the puck. After a trade to Montreal in 2022, Dach signed a long-term extension and has continued to develop into a key contributor for the Canadiens.
Born and raised in Alberta, Dach grew up skating on backyard rinks and northern lakes before rising through Canadian minor hockey. His blend of skill, vision, and two-way responsibility has made him a fixture in his team’s middle-six forward group, even as injuries have occasionally interrupted his momentum.
Early Life and Background
Kirby Dach was born on January 21, 2001, in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, to parents Dale and Hillary. He began playing ice hockey at around the age of five, sharpening his game on a backyard rink and on Garner Lake near his family’s cabin. As a child, he was a devoted fan of the Edmonton Oilers and frequently attended games at Rexall Place with his father.
Dach often played minor hockey above his age level, including time with the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers of the Alberta Midget Hockey League. At thirteen, he produced 100 points in just 33 games, surpassing a longstanding league record previously held by Tyler Benson. That early production hinted at the offensive ceiling that scouts would soon track closely.
Path to Professional Hockey
Dach was selected second overall by the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft and signed with the team immediately afterward. Promoted as an underage player during the 2016–17 season following injuries to the team’s forwards, he scored his first major junior goal on February 10, 2017, against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Across 19 games that year, he posted six goals and ten points.
In January 2019, he was named an alternate captain for the Blades and captain for Team Orr at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He finished the 2018–19 WHL season with 25 goals and 48 assists in 62 games and was ranked third among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The Chicago Blackhawks selected him third overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and he signed a three-year entry-level contract that July.
Kirby Dach Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Kirby Dach made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks on October 20, 2019, against the Washington Capitals. Two days later, he scored his first NHL goal against Marc-André Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights. Before the 2019–20 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, he had recorded eight goals and 15 assists in 64 games, a productive opening chapter that compared favorably to fellow top picks Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko.
Chicago Blackhawks Era (2019–2022)
Dach returned for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, which were held in a bubble format in Edmonton and Toronto. He helped the Blackhawks upset the Edmonton Oilers in the qualifying round and was widely praised as one of Chicago’s best players, registering four assists in the first three games. On August 13, he scored his first playoff goal against the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming just the sixth teenager to score a postseason goal for the Blackhawks and the first since Jeremy Roenick in 1989.
His momentum was halted by a wrist injury suffered at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, which caused him to miss most of the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 NHL season. He returned briefly in March 2021 but managed only 18 games. The 2021–22 campaign proved difficult, as he posted nine goals and 17 assists in 70 games while struggling in the faceoff circle, even alongside linemates Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. As the Blackhawks underwent a major rebuild under new general manager Kyle Davidson, Dach’s name surfaced in trade discussions.
Montreal Canadiens Era (2022–Present)
During the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the Blackhawks traded Dach to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the 13th overall pick and a third-round selection. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes expressed confidence that Dach could still fulfill his potential. On September 7, 2022, he signed a four-year, $13.45 million contract extension with Montreal. He scored his first goal for the Canadiens on October 17, 2022, an overtime winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Although originally acquired as a centre, Dach was moved to the wing alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, and the trio produced strong early results. He credited head coach Martin St. Louis for helping him rediscover his joy for the game. A wrist-to-shoulder injury in February 2023 and a lower-body injury in March limited him to 58 games, but he still set a new career high with 38 points. Entering 2023–24 with high expectations, he was paired with Juraj Slafkovský and Alex Newhook, but suffered torn ACL and MCL ligaments on October 14, 2023, ending his season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Dach is known for his six-foot-four frame, soft hands, and pass-first instincts. He thrives as a playmaker in tight spaces, using his reach and vision to set up linemates. Coaches have praised his willingness to play through contact, his improving faceoff work, and his comfort toggling between centre and wing depending on team needs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Dach’s signature moments are his first playoff goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020, his overtime winner against his former Blackhawks team in 2022, and his 100th career NHL point, registered on opening night of the 2024–25 season against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kirby Dach Career Wins
While individual goal totals shift with each season, Dach has accumulated several memorable victories across the WHL and NHL, including playoff series wins, overtime goals, and milestone performances. Below is a summary of his verifiable achievements across supported leagues.
NHL Highlights
In the NHL, Dach recorded his first goal on October 22, 2019, and helped the Blackhawks upset the Edmonton Oilers in the 2020 qualifying round. With Montreal, his overtime goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 17, 2022, marked his first as a Canadien, and his decisive shootout goal at the United Center later that season added a memorable chapter against his former club. He also contributed a goal and an assist in a 3–2 win over Tampa Bay during the 2026 playoffs.
Junior and International Highlights
With the Saskatoon Blades, Dach posted 25 goals and 48 assists in 2018–19 and was named an alternate captain. Internationally, he captained Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championships before a wrist injury cut his tournament short, and he previously won gold with Team Alberta at the 2016 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup and helped Canada capture the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Kirby Dach Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Kirby Dach is the son of Dale and Hillary Dach, and grew up in a hockey-driven household in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. His younger brother, Colton Dach, was selected 62nd overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and plays a more shoot-first style, according to Kirby. The brothers faced each other professionally for the first time on January 3, 2025, when Chicago hosted Montreal at the United Center.
Dach is also a maternal cousin of Keaton Verhoeff, a highly regarded prospect for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The family’s deep roots in the game have helped shape his early development and lifelong connection to hockey.
Personal Life
Beyond his playing career, Dach has remained based in Canada, with personal ties to both Alberta and Quebec following his trade to Montreal. Public details about his personal relationships are limited, though media coverage during the 2026 playoffs referenced his girlfriend in the context of off-ice attention. He continues to be recognized for his maturity and leadership within the Canadiens’ locker room.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season opened on a high note for Kirby Dach, as he recorded his 100th career NHL point in Montreal’s first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He posted 22 points through 57 games while serving in a top-six role. However, on February 28, 2025, the Canadiens announced that he had undergone surgery on his right knee, prematurely ending his season.
Looking ahead to 2025, Dach returned healthy and eager to re-establish himself as a reliable two-way centre. Early in the 2025–26 campaign, he collected seven points across the first 15 games before suffering a fractured foot against the Boston Bruins on November 15, an injury expected to sideline him for four to six weeks. After missing 31 games, he returned to action but later sat out an additional 11 contests following an upper-body injury in March.
Despite the setbacks, Dach appeared in 37 regular-season games with eight goals and seven assists. When Montreal qualified for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs and faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, he saw his first postseason action since 2020. After a difficult Game 2 drew public scrutiny, coach St. Louis kept him in the lineup, and Dach responded with a goal and an assist in a 3–2 Game 3 victory, signaling a resilient close to his 2025 campaign.
