After being traded from the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022 offseason, forward Kirby Dach went on to have a career year with the Montreal Canadiens last season, netting 14 goals and 38 points over 58 games.
As a recent guest on the Empty Netters podcast, the 22-year-old expressed plenty of love and gratitude for his new hockey home, claiming that he “couldn’t be more happy to be a Montreal Canadien.”
“It’s always nice to be wanted… As a player that’s really all you want,” Dach, who was drafted third overall in 2019, said. “It’s honestly insane to play [in Montreal]. I’ve been there for a year now and it’s been the most fun I’ve had playing hockey since juniors. The fans are unbelievable, the city’s great and the rink’s electric.”
“Montreal gets support whether we’re winning 10-1 or losing 10-1,” he added.
While the fans played their part in helping his game, Dach gave a lot of credit to Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis for boosting his confidence and allowing him the freedom to experiment.
“Marty first told me, ‘Just go out and play. I’m not gonna tell you what to do, just go out play and get your confidence back and we’ll build it from there,’” Dach explained. “He was super supportive. He’s definitely a big factor in my game and how happy I feel on the ice”
And it seems that those positive qualities are reflective of the Hall-of-Famer turned bench boss, on and off the ice.
“He’s a great human being to be around and he’s an even greater coach,” Dach added.
When it comes to teammates, the Alberta native name-dropped a few, including linemate Cole Caufield.
“The locker room is unbelievable. Such good camaraderie, the guys are always laughing,” he said. “You’re rolling into the rink in the morning and Cole [Caufield] is just buzzing around. He doesn’t even drink coffee but he’s having a great time making everybody laugh.”
Dach also credited Caufield with being one of the funniest guys in Montreal’s locker room.
“There’s definitely been times throughout this year where I’ve been sitting in the dressing room, almost in tears, listening to him babble on about something,” he said. “You’re just like ‘What the f*ck is going on? We have a meeting in five minutes, half the team’s lying on the floor laughing.'”
As for what the future holds for him and the young Canadiens, Dach says that they’re “hungry to learn and get better.”
“We’re here to enjoy it and have fun and build through the moments of pain, and enjoy the process,” he explained. “Once we get there, it’s gonna take off quick and it’s gonna be an exciting time to be a Hab.”