The Montreal Canadiens were expecting Kirby Dack to have a slow start because of the significant injury he suffered last season, but they didn't expect it to look like it has.
Las night the Montreal Canadiens had a fourth line formed by Juraj Slafkovsky, Kirby Dach and Joel Armia. While much has been said about Dach's lacklustre start this season, Slafkovsky's struggle have gone somewhat under the radar, but not Martin St-Louis' radar.
The coach finally had enough and demoted them both to the fourth line. They were however still on the first wave of the power play which sends a bit of a mixed message. On The Sick Podcast, former Hab Maxim Lapierre compared it to telling your kid they are grounded and to stay in their room, but then you brought them everything they dream of in their room. I have to admit that's a spot on analogy, especially for Dach, who even played in the overtime period.
Right now, the Canadiens are just not producing, not at the level needed to compete in hockey games in any case. Last night, they were limited to just 13 shots on goal against the Utah Hockey Club, which is downright insufficient.
Martin St-Louis said earlier this week that he didn't want to mess with his Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak and Brendan Gallagher because he didn't want to lose what they bring. However, he had no problem splitting his top line, the one line that was actually producing.
Nick Suzuki was barely visible last night and perhaps a reunion with his usual linemates is just what the doctor ordered. Slafkovsky and Caufield back on his wings may just help him get out of the funk. Besides, to keep punishing Slafkovsky while you give overtime ice time to Dach makes no sense at all.
As for Dach, how about giving him a turn on a line with Jake Evans and Joshua Roy? He was called up to deliver some attack why not deploy him as such? It's not like St-Louis has got much to lose now.
Less than an hour from now, the puck will drown on the Canadiens' game with the Columbus Blue Jackets and if the Habs cannot improve on yesterday abysmal performance, something will have to give.
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