Forward Kirby Dach avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-season, US$3.6 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Dach, whose time with the Habs has been marred by injuries, had rejected the Canadiens’ qualifying offer and subsequently filed for arbitration. The hearing was scheduled for July 30. Dach scored eight goals and tallied 15 points in 37 games with the Montreal team last season, adding four goals and one assist in 19 playoff games. Drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round in 2019, Dach has never played more than 70 games in a single season. He has 51 goals and 136 points in 306 NHL games. His best season was his first with the Canadiens, when he recorded 38 points in 58 games. Dach was acquired from the Blackhawks on July 7, 2022, in exchange for a first-round pick and a third-round pick in the 2022 draft. He is 25 years old and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 16, 2026.
