Once again, Kirby Dach is the focus of criticism.
While the Montreal Canadiens lost 5-4 in a close match, all eyes are on him for a series of missed opportunities that could have changed the outcome of the match.
Dach, unable to convert three chances into gold against empty nets, becomes the scapegoat for a frustrating evening for the fans.
Dach is in a downward spiral, and it's becoming hard to ignore. With each match, he seems heavier, more hesitant.
His catastrophic -24 differential only amplifies the murmurs about his inability to fulfill his role as second center. This evening, his failures cost the Canadian dearly, and social networks did not spare him.
“Even my dog would have scored in an empty net! Dach is a shame, we should have left him in Chicago”
Sarcasm and mockery ignite, and Dach, already weakened by tattered confidence, becomes an easy target for frustrated supporters.
Every mistake is amplified, every missed opportunity is further proof for those who want to see him leave Montreal.
If Kirby Dach has so far escaped the harshest criticism regarding his salary, it is only thanks to the prudence of Kent Hughes.
Signed to a 4-year contract worth $3.362 million per season, Dach is not an insurmountable financial burden for the Canadian.
But this reality does not calm the anger of supporters, who see in him a player incapable of justifying even this modest amount.
The real question, however, is not his salary. It's his future. With such disappointing performance and a chronic inability to elevate his game in crucial moments, Dach's future in Montreal seems increasingly uncertain.
Last night was just one example of many. Dach, who was supposed to be a cornerstone of the Canadiens' reconstruction plan, cannot find his rhythm.
Misses against the empty net aren't just a statistic; they became a symbol of its slump.
Every missed opportunity is a cruel reminder of what he should have been: a dominant center, capable of dictating play and taking over offensive responsibilities.
But the reality is quite different. Dach is not that player. He is slow to react, hesitant in his decisions, and unable to capitalize on opportunities that any player in his position should convert.
With a contract that runs until 2026, Dach still has time to turn things around. But at this rate, many are wondering if the Canadian won't be eager to turn the page.
In 2026, when he becomes a free agent, the Canadian will have the opportunity to free himself from this experience which, until now, has been a bitter failure.
“Dach’s future is not in Montreal. »
This feeling, shared by a growing share of supporters, is becoming difficult to ignore. The Montreal market, ruthless with its players, does not forgive repeated mistakes.
Dach was greeted with hope; he is now tolerated like a common plumber.
As the storm brews around him, Kirby Dach seems more and more isolated. Social networks continue to rage, media criticism becomes increasingly harsh, and even his coach Martin St-Louis has expressed veiled frustrations.
Dach, although full of raw talent, failed to gain the trust of either his team or his fans.
If tonight's match is any indication of what's to come, it's hard to see how this relationship could be repaired.
For Dach, time seems to be against him, and each game becomes an audition not to prove that he can excel in Montreal, but that he still deserves a place in the NHL.
Kirby Dach didn't just miss three empty nets last night; he seems to be missing his chance in Montreal.
The criticism, while sometimes exaggerated, reflects legitimate frustration with a player who hasn't delivered the goods.
With a reasonable contract that ends in 2026, the Canadian could well prepare to turn the page on what will remain as one of the most resounding failures of the Kent Hughes era.
Dach failed to seize his chance, and barring a spectacular turnaround, his future in Montreal is darker than ever.
It's time for Dach to raise his head, to respond to the criticism on the ice.
Otherwise, 2026 could arrive much sooner than he believes, and with it, the end of his adventure in one of hockey's most demanding markets.
After another frustrating evening for Kirby Dach, the statements of the young center of the Montreal Canadiens reveal a mixture of resignation and desperate efforts to keep his head held high.
His ironic comment on the idea of shooting from the left, he who is right-handed, clearly illustrates the state of mind of a player lost in a spiral of doubts and underperformance.
“Maybe I should pull from the left…” he joked after the match, in a clumsy attempt to mask a frustration that was becoming more and more evident.
With a measly eight points in 27 games, Dach seems to carry the weight of all the dashed expectations on his shoulders.
Three missed opportunities in front of an empty net last night only added to his distress. However, in his remarks after the match, Dach tried to put on a brave face, saying he had to stay positive and continue working to turn things around:
“It's not a good feeling. But you can't give up, you have to keep doing what the team asks of you to help them win. »
It's clear that the player is fighting against himself, trying to find a balance between perseverance and the doubt within him.
Dach also emphasized the importance of collective support within the team, saying the group remains united through adversity:
“We're close enough in this locker room to help each other out when someone's going through a tough time. No man left behind. »
However, this support, although important, does not seem sufficient at the moment. The opportunities were there last night, but nothing works for Dach, and his jokes only add fuel to the fire of how serious the situation is.
His attempt at humor about pulling from the left was seen by some as an admission of helplessness.
The irony hardly hides a brutal reality: Dach deeply doubts his abilities.
“You have to see the light at the end of the tunnel and turn the page when things don't go your way, » he added.
But the light, for the moment, seems very distant. And the fans are starting to lose patience, questioning Dach's future in Montreal.
In Montreal, where expectations are always high, Dach has become the symbol of disappointed hopes.
The player that Kent Hughes acquired to solidify the second center position simply cannot deliver the goods.
His failures in front of the net last night are just one episode among many in a season marked by inefficiency and frustration.
With a contract that runs until 2026, Dach still has time to turn things around. But every game where he fails to produce reinforces the idea that he may not be the long-term solution for the Canadian.
Kirby Dach must now find a way to rebuild himself mentally and regain the confidence that seems to have abandoned him.
His words after the match show a player aware of his mistakes, but not yet sure how to overcome them.
The light at the end of the tunnel he evokes, he will have to find for himself, with or without the humor that barely masks his pain.
For Dach, the time to laugh at his failures is over. The time has come to prove that he can once again become the player everyone hoped for.
Otherwise, his joke about the left shot could well become the final word when we remember his failed time in Montreal.
Misery.
