It’s not often that a routine morning skate in Brossard sends shockwaves through the hockey world, but when Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach stepped onto the ice, eyebrows were raised and whispers quickly followed.

Dach, whose season was cut short after a devastating knee injury last February, had been all but written out of the Canadiens’ immediate plans.

General Manager Kent Hughes, facing the prospect of starting the year without one of his most promising young stars, was reportedly exploring options to bolster the lineup’s depth. But everything changed with one unexpected appearance at practice—a move that could upend the team’s strategy and dramatically alter the trajectory of Montreal’s season.

What does Dach’s return mean for the Canadiens’ roster? Will this surprise twist force management to rethink their approach, or is there more to the story than meets the eye?

The answers aren’t as simple as they seem, and the implications reach far beyond a single player’s recovery.

As fans and insiders scramble for details, the full impact of this development remains shrouded in mystery. One thing is clear: Kirby Dach’s comeback could be the catalyst for a series of dramatic changes in Montreal—and you won’t want to miss what happens next.

Canadiens forward Kirby Dach

Photo credit: NHL.com

Former Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach got some unexpected news while participating in a recent practice for his current team, the Original 6 foe Montreal Canadiens.

There is good news for Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach, who missed the rest of the year after having to undergo knee surgery in February.

He took part in a recent practice in Brossard along with several of his Canadiens teammates for an informal practice.

Habs Kirby Dach is on the ice this morning in Brossard – a good sign after his second knee surgery in late February.

– Stu Cowan

This may change the plans of GM Kent Hughes, who could have considered acquiring more depth to offset the loss of what they expected would be the absence of Dach to begin the new year.

The Blackhawks traded Kirby Dach to Montreal in 2022

The Blackhawks took Dach with the 3rd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft while he was playing for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL, but his time with the organization was short as he was traded to the Canadiens in 2022 for the 13th pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

That pick turned out to be a good one for the Blackhawks, as they took Frank Nazar, who they recently re-signed to a multi-year extension, with the selection they got in return for Dach from the Canadiens.

Dach had 22 points (10G, 12A) in 57 games with the Canadiens last year before his knee injury.

He has 121 points (43G, 78A) in 269 career NHL games.