The Chicago Blackhawks haven’t been a playoff team in a long time, but their rebuild truly began towards the end of the 2021-22 season. They went into that season expecting to win, and were one of the worst teams in the NHL.
They started that year without a first-round pick because they traded it to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Seth Jones trade, which is a move a team trying to make the playoffs makes.
Advertisement
With Chicago’s original pick, Columbus selected David Jiricek 6th overall. He’s been traded twice, so it didn’t hurt the Blackhawks all that much. That’s especially true since the Blackhawks acquired three first-round picks in that 2022 Draft through three separate trades.
One of those picks came from the Blackhawks trading Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens. In return for Dach, the Blackhawks received the 13th overall pick. The selection originally belonged to the New York Islanders before it landed with the Canadiens.
Chicago used that selection on Frank Nazar, who is now one of the players they believe is a part of the core. Nazar is someone who could play wing or center on any line, with exceptional skills in all three zones.
The tools are there for him to be a high-end offensive player, and he’s already shown flashes of being a star in this league.
Advertisement
Nazar’s skills and age fit the current state of the Chicago Blackhawks significantly more than Dach’s, so this was an incredible trade in hindsight when evaluating the rebuild.
Since going to Montreal, things have been up and down for Dach. He is not one of their cornerstone stars, but he fits in with their younger core.
Just as the trade that sent Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning (the Blackhawks got Oliver Moore and Sacha Boisvert in return) has made the Blackhawks’ future brighter, so has this deal involving Dach.
Hagel and Dach are currently facing off in a first-round playoff series between Montreal and Tampa Bay. On Friday, they each made a big impact in Game Three.
Advertisement
During regulation, Hagel had a go-ahead goal, then Dach tied it up (he also had an assist on their first goal). In overtime tied at two, the Canadiens won on a goal scored by Lane Hutson. Dach didn’t collect a point on the goal, but he created the screen in front of Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
This was a redeeming game for Dach, who did not play well in their game two loss (also in overtime). J.J. Moser‘s overtime winner in that one was mostly due to a bad defensive play by Dach.
There was a thought that Montreal coach Martin St. Louis would scratch Dach, but he stuck by his player. St. Louis was rewarded for this decision, as Dach and his 4th line mates were the best trio on the ice for most of the match.
After dealing with those aforementioned ups and downs throughout his tenure in Montreal, Dach was thrilled to have a game like that.
Advertisement
“I love playing here. I love the fans,” Dach said after the win. “They’ve stuck with me through a lot of hard years”.
Hagel didn’t have the same warm feelings after the win, but there is nobody debating that he has been the best forward on either team throughout the series. If the Lightning are going to get past the Canadiens, he will have to be a big part of the comeback. This series has been a treat to watch with two former Blackhawks playing key roles in outcomes.
Image
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Advertisement
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
