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Canadiens sign F Dach to four-year, $13.5M deal

Kirby Dach Kirby Dach - The Canadian Press
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The Montreal Canadiens signed forward Kirby Dach to a four-year, $13.5 million contract on Wednesday.

Dach, who had nine goals and 26 points in 70 games last season with the Chicago Blackhawks, will carry a cap hit of $3.36M under the new deal.

Drafted third overall by the Blackhawks at the 2019 NHL Draft, the 21-year-old was dealt to the Canadiens on July 7 in exchange for a first-round pick and a third-round pick in this year's draft.

A restricted free agent this summer, Dach was coming off his three-year, entry-level contract.

In 152 career NHL games - all with Chicago - the Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., product has 19 goals and 59 points.
 

Big Changes in Montreal

Dach's new deal put the Canadiens more than $10.2 million over the salary cap, per CapFriendly, though goaltender Carey Price, who carries a cap hit of $10.5 million, will be placed on long-term injured reserve to make the team cap compliant.  

Adding Dach was part of a major overhaul for Montreal this off-season, which also saw the club acquire Michael Matheson as part of their return for veteran defenceman Jeff Petry and forward Ryan Poehling.

Additionally, the Canadiens traded defenceman Alexander Romanov to the New York Islanders at the NHL Draft, moved former captain Shea Weber's contract to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Evgeni Dadonov, and acquired forward Sean Monahan and a draft pick from the Calgary Flames.

Monahan, who had hip surgery last spring, is expected to play early in the season, general manager Kent Hughes said Wednesday.

The off-season has also included the Canadiens selecting Juraj Slafkovsky No. 1 overall and Hughes announcing that Price is not expected to play this season. 

After reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, the Canadiens started last season 8-30-7 before replacing head coach Dominique Ducharme with Martin St. Louis. The team posted a 14-19-4 record under St. Louis to finish the season, but still wound up dead last in the NHL standings, two points worse than the Arizona Coyotes.