The Kids Are Alright: Kirby Dach

Credit: Taylor Wilder/Chicago Blackhawks

I don’t think any player has impressed me so far as much as Kirby Dach has. He’s looked faster, stronger and just seems to be playing with more confidence. It was expected that he’d look better having the break, and basically having an offseason to hone his skills.

Chicago Blackhawks head coach, Jeremy Colliton, had this to say of Dach, “You expect it almost, hoping that he would come in and look like he took another step just by being older and some months of training. Even if they weren’t the perfect conditions, he was able to put some work in and get rested up. For him, it’s a long grind when you’re 18, 19 years old and going through that first NHL season. He’s been very noticeable with his skating and confidence on the puck, even more so than the regular season and we’re just excited to see him get back into game action.”

Dach, 19, specifically focused on getting stronger over the break. He has his own gym in his house, and added to his 6'4" frame. “As you get older and more mature, you’re going to feel stronger on the ice. That was a big thing for me during this break was to get in the gym right away and maintain my strength and try to add some size.”

That added size will help him get to the net, shield the puck and absorb hits better. Among skaters with 300 minutes played, Dach, had the most hits per 60 taken this year (12.88).

Why to be excited

This player card shows a player’s offensive and defensive impact on a team. You can see that Kirby Dach is above average defensively, and is slightly below average offensively. He struggled to get primary assists and points, also he wasn’t great at shooting the puck. Player Card is done by @JFreshHockey.

As I mentioned earlier it seems like Kirby Dach is on a whole other level. He’s using his size and hands effectively to get to the net. We saw some of these skills later in the season, but he never used them consistently. He is now. Here are a few examples:

His vision and ability to see the ice also seem to have gotten better. He’s playing like an impact, top six, forward.

His film has looked excellent so far, but let’s dive into the numbers. This season Dach, put up eight goals and 15 assists in 64 NHL games. 20 of his 23 points were at even strength.

Dach, was one of the best puck protectors on the Blackhawks. He only had 16 giveaways (5th least among forwards) and had 36 takeaways (4th most among forwards). The film backs that up too, he shields the puck very well and has a very long reach to break up passes.

The last month of the regular season (February 15th-March 11th) was definitely Dach’s best. Out of 12 forwards, he ranked 8th in expected goals for per 60 (2.62) and ranked 1st in expected goals against per 60 (2.26). That gives him the third highest xGF% (53.76%). He had one goal and five assists in 13 games.

This Player Comparison Tool shows a player’s ability in transition (ranked in percentiles). Kirby Dach ranks pretty highly, especially for a rookie. He ranks low in shots contributions, but that’s to be expected as he’s more of a passer. He’s very good at entering the offensive zone with possession and is also very good at exiting the defensive zone with possession. That’s a sign of his strength and puck skills being used effectively. Player Tool Via CJ Turtoro.

He also made two of his better in game plays in February and March. He was clearly gaining confidence with the puck as the season went on.

It’s clear that Kirby Dach has the potential to be an impact player and soon. Maybe even as soon as the Blackhawks take on the Edmonton Oilers.

Why to be cautiously optimistic

I’m cautiously optimistic most of the time, but this is one of those times where I’m not. I’m almost certain, Dach, is going to be a star player in two-to-three years. All the signs are there and he’s only gotten better.

I still want to bring up a few problems I have with Dach’s game. First off, are his consistency problems. From November 21st-January 18th, Dach registered one goal over 28 games. During that time he had a 15 game pointless streak and a 12 game pointless streak. He had the second lowest xGF/60 (1.97), the sixth highest xGA/60 (2.8) and the third worst xGF% (41.34%) among Blackhawks forwards at even strength.

His skating isn’t bad, but it certainly isn’t amazing. He moves fine for a big man, but could use some more work in that regard. At camp, it looks like he’s gotten a bit faster and stronger on the puck.

Final Thoughts

Kirby Dach is going to be an impact player, maybe sooner rather than later. He’s shown the skills both offensively and defensively. If he can consistently produce, he’ll be that impact player. Look for him to make an impact against the Oilers.

Patrick Kane even had some praise for Dach, “He can be a top player in the league… He’s got the ability to use his reach to get by guys and beat guys 1–on-1. He has all the potential in the world to do that… He’s had a great start for his career. It’s not easy to come in at a young age and play. You can see improvements throughout the season and from the last time we played until now. He’s getting better and better, and he’s going to be a good one.”

stats via: Natural Stat Trick

Follow us here!