One Chicago Blackhawks prospect has had fans excited about what his skill can bring. In the same breath, he has quickly become a favorite amongst the coaching staff, and his performance at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and throughout training camp has made waves. He is fast-tracking to the NHL after dealing with so much adversity, and there’s much more to the story. He was recently with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL (Western Hockey League) and exceeded all expectations.
When speaking to Seattle Thunderbirds general manager Bil La Forge for part one of this series about Nolan Allan and part two about Kevin Korchinski, I got the inside scoop on how Dach’s attitude and game made him such a key piece to the team.
Dach’s Rewarding Thunderbirds Tenure
When the Blackhawks originally drafted Dach in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-4, 196-pound forward was enticing because he could play center or wing and was considered one of the best scorers in that spot of the draft. (62nd overall). It seemed like a fun coincidence at the time that his older brother Kirby Dach (Montreal Canadiens) was on the team after being drafted third overall in 2019. Even Kirby stated, “He’s got a heck of a shot. I wish I could shoot the puck like him.” (from ‘How brothers Kirby and Colton Dach’s successes in hockey are fueled by a competitive and loving sibling rivalry’-The Athletic-07/01/2022).
Draft status aside, Colton differed from him and had the talent all on his own, standing out on every team he has been on.
Dach started his WHL career in 2019 with the Saskatoon Blades and spent two seasons there before requesting to be traded. He got traded to the Kelowna Rockets, where he had a career-high 79 points in 61 games during the 2021-22 season. The following year, he was named captain of the Rockets, but unfortunately, his playing time was cut short due to injuries. He suffered a concussion during the Blackhawks prospect showcase in Sept. 2022 and played in three games for the Rockets before entering concussion protocol again less than a month later. The bad luck didn’t stop there, as he injured his shoulder at the World Junior Championship in December, keeping him out of the lineup for two months. The good news is that despite the injuries, he was still impactful, as he recorded 17 points in 14 games with the Rockets.
Some worried whether Dach’s injury compilation would impact his NHL future, but that’s where the Thunderbirds come in. He was traded to Seattle back in January, in what Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton described as being in the best interest of the team and Dach himself, due to him being hurt and the Rockets struggling at the time, so they got two players and three draft picks to help them.
I asked La Forge about the process of bringing Dach into the fold. He responded, “It was kind of an interesting deal because he was still injured from the World Juniors, so we knew we weren’t going to really have him for, I believe it was a month, month and a half. So, it was kind of a weird deal in that he really didn’t hit the ground running until the playoffs started, I would say. There’s always a time of getting to know your teammates and your surroundings, and then he had an injury, and then came back from the first injury and got injured again, if I remember correctly. He’s a bundle of energy. He’s an exciting guy. He’s one of those guys that loves the room, and the guys really enjoy being around him.”
“I thought he did a good job for us playing heavy minutes with a heavy style but still having enough skill to complement our other skilled players. The coaches could put him on any line, and he would make that line better. And I thought during the Memorial Cup that he was arguably one of our best players. He’s shown that he can rise to the occasion. Like I said, he’s a fun guy to be around, and I really enjoyed getting to know him, although it wasn’t a long time. He was someone I found easy to talk to and was a joy to have around the rink.”
Dach was limited to nine games during Seattle’s regular season but recorded 10 points. During Seattle’s playoff run, he was seventh-best on the team with 14 points in 19 games. A factor, indeed. The risk was always worth the reward with him, and they knew it.
Dach’s Weapon of Versatility
When Dach was drafted, he was noted for being versatile. He can play a physical game while, but his scoring touch can’t be ignored. During the Blackhawks’ two-game prospect showcase, they had him playing on the first line with Connor Bedard and Nick Lardis (also Martin Misiak when Bedard sat out the second game). He was outstanding, racking up two goals in two games, carrying the shoot-first mentality he always described his game as, and being a pesky net-front presence.
Related: Colton Dach – 2021 NHL Draft Profile
But what’s interesting about him is I noticed during some of the Thunderbirds’ Memorial Cup Championship run they had him playing on the third line, even though most consider him a top-six forward, but that is the charm of his game: he fits everywhere like a glove. La Forge clarified, “I think when the dust settled and he was back at full speed, he was a second-line guy for us. I mean, our first line, obviously with Dylan Guenther, Brad Lambert, and Reid Schaefer, was a pretty lethal combination. So, a lot of time, he played on the second line with Lucas Ciona and Jared Davidson, I believe. I would say when the dust settled, he was a first-line player on a championship-level team, second line. So, that is where I would classify him at the end of the day.”
It seems like that is where the Blackhawks view him as well. During two preseason games, he played on the second line. Against the St. Louis Blues (Oct. 7), he was on the first line with Lukas Reichel and Andreas Athanasiou and never looked out of place, even helping set up a Reichel goal.
La Forge expounded, “That’s one of his talents is his ability to adapt to any situation. If you needed him at the next level, in pro, for example, to be a heavy, hard guy to play against, and he showed this a little bit in the World Juniors before he got injured, he can do that. But he also has enough skill and skating that if you need him to be an offensive guy, he has the ability and instincts to do that as well. So I think his upside is quite multi-faceted, and he can help you in any way and in a number of places and forms on the team.”
Dach’s Growth & Blackhawks’ Future
The Blackhawks said they mentioned that they want Dach to develop more into a true power forward and that they want him to be more physical. (from ‘Bedard, Kaiser Dach: 10 Blackhawks takeaways from Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase’ – The Athletic – 08/17/2023) He has shown during the preseason. During his three games, he has racked up nine hits, eight shots on goal, and averaged over 15 minutes of ice time. Against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 3, he had the second-most ice time on the team behind Taylor Raddysh. His hits were top-three on the team as well.
Related: 4 Blackhawks Prospects Who Could Reach the NHL in 2023-24
He has been able to show a growth in his game that he could not show with the Blackhawks last season, but the Thunderbirds knew exactly what he could bring, and they were delighted by the results. La Forge explained his development with the Thunderbirds, “I think his versatility, but also his consistency, got a lot better. I think maybe earlier in his junior career, his consistency wasn’t as evident as it was with us. Once he got healthy and ready to play full time, I thought he was one of our most consistent players down the stretch.”
This seems to be a theme with Dach, even from the preseason. When he is healthy, he is one of the team’s most noticeable and productive forwards.
The 20-year-old could make the team, especially with Philipp Kurashev’s wrist injury that will likely have him sidelined to start the season, but he will probably start with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL (American Hockey League). However, he has stuck with the team for the entirety of the preseason, which is a good indicator that the Hawks liked what they saw. Head coach Luke Richardson stated, “You have a young guy like Dach. [He] had a great rookie camp, has continued on through this camp… He’s one of the first waves coming through here. If you don’t prepare and execute, then a guy like that will pass you by.”
No matter where he starts, I’m confident he will be in the NHL at some point this season. As he has shown in the WHL, his skillset and versatility are necessary.
In conclusion, I asked La Forge what fans should know about Dach, and he responded,
Love to have him on your team, but don’t really want to play against. He’s going to be that in-your-face, agitating type of guy that other teams don’t like, other fanbases don’t like, but he’s really exciting when he is on your team.
I can’t think of a more glowing review to say about a player than that.
There is something to be said about Dach’s journey to the NHL. He drew early concerns with his injury history but has shown massive resilience. He came back from injuries an even better player than before. The Thunderbirds were able to showcase a different side of him that was needed for Chicago to see and maybe even for Dach himself. Now, he is fast-tracking to be a Blackhawks staple and fan favorite, and he’s earned it. It’s easy to root for the underdogs; he is no exception. He has shown he is much more than “Kirby Dach’s younger brother.” He is Colton Dach, ready to silence the doubts and make a statement.